


Web of Sins

by charlotteXOyates



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe, Angst, Car Sex, College student Keith, Daddy Kink, Developing Relationship, Dubious Consent, Emotional Manipulation, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Past Relationship(s), Public Humiliation, Racing, Sexual Content, Smut, Spanking, Starts out nice and fluffy, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Triggers, Verbal Abuse, but gets much darker, stripper lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-01-10 16:24:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 128,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12303012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlotteXOyates/pseuds/charlotteXOyates
Summary: Stripper!Lance AU. Keith never intended to get caught in a relationship with the local club's most popular stripper...but when Lance's past comes haunting them, he sure as hell isn't going to let Lance get hurt. Will they manage to overcome the manipulative psychopath that is Lance's ex, or will Lance's past demons cost them their love, or worse, their lives?WARNING: This fic starts out relatively light-hearted and cute, but if you didn't look at the tags(you should ALWAYS look at the tags), let me warn you now that stuff will get significantly darker, eventually. I promise that none of the dark stuff is ever glorified; this is not a kinky story. This is a story of two boys trying to overcome the dark past, together.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I originally didn't have a prologue and wasn't going to write one, but then, World Mental Health Day (October 10) came around, and I _really_ wanted to write something for it. There are certain things in this fanfic that would be _perfect_ to explore for this type of thing, but that's quite a few chapters down the line...and that's when the idea hit me to write a prologue! 
> 
> It gives a lot more insight into Lance's character from before the story takes place while not giving too much away, but most importantly, it contributes to Mental Health Day, which I think is so important. This fanfic will explore things like mental health and manipulation much more in the near future, but for now, this prologue serves as a glimpse into that.

_"What a joke. Just look at him - cowering in the corner. You know what else hangs out in corners? Piles of garbage. He's lowering_ himself _to the level of trash. Pathetic. That's no son of mine."_

Ever since the very beginning, Lance was convinced that mental illnesses were just something you were born with - something you couldn't choose or control. The way he saw it, some people, meaning the majority of society, were born without these issues thus didn't have to worry about any of it. Meanwhile, the less fortunate bunch were born having to deal with their mental illnesses as soon as they exited the womb, stuck with the demons inside of their heads for the rest of their lives.

And then, every now and then, a child like Lance would be born. A child who lacked any semblance of purpose or meaning, a child who was so messed up in the head they had no place claiming to be on the same level as other humans - because they were born that way.

Lance learned very early on in life to accept things for the way they were, because some people were inherently less capable than others; and he was one of those people. Sometimes, during late hours of the night when he couldn't fall asleep, he would mutter the same chant over and over again.

_savemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesavemesaveme_

That was another thing Lance learned when he was still very young: no matter how much you longed for it, no matter how much you begged for it, no matter _who_ you begged to, it didn't matter. All forms of help turned a blind eye to Lance; always.

At school, Lance would listen from afar as the other kids talked about how great their parents or their family was and how they could always count on them when they needed help, and at first he had never understood it. He could never relate to the other kids and, as a result, grew to envy them.

Eventually, however, he came to understand that it was just him; he was the one with the problems. He was the one who didn't fit in because he was born inferior. He was born to be abandoned. It was around this point in his young life where he truly understood and accepted that this was just who he was.

...he never knew, though, that the issues he was born with would just continue to grow as he did.

***

_"You're a sorry excuse for a student! Your family must be so disappointed in a failure like you!"_

He had always felt like his mental issues seemed to grow in size and number with every year that passed, but he never really thought about it since he just accepted it whenever he got worse. Eventually, though, at some point, everything inside of him that had built up over the years just boiled over until he was an even bigger mess than before.

And the worst part? The people who were supposed to be there for him, the ones deemed by society to be the people you turn to when in need...still turned a blind eye to Lance.

It shouldn't have been a surprise at this point. It shouldn't have hurt. It shouldn't have left him bruised and broken.

But it did.

***

_"Hi! It's so nice to see so many new viewers! Wow, there's a lot of you! My name is 'Daddy's Boy', I hope I can put on a good show for you all!"_

The solution was rather obvious. Lance was born mentally fucked up, he was a broken mess with a broken mind that chased away anyone and everyone who was supposed to be able to help him...but even if he was fucked up on the inside, he wasn't fucked up on the outside.

That was what really mattered nowadays, anyways, right? All that mattered was what was on the outside. Even if he was born messed up, he could still show off his body.

And how wonderfully that worked out for him. After all...it's what lead him to meeting _him_.

***

_"You're beautiful, baby. So, so beautiful. Cry for me more - yes. I love it. You're so beautiful like this. The world deserves your beauty."_

Lance learned that he wasn't useless. He learned that everybody in this world had some worth, even him. He had spent his entire life believing that he had no purpose and that he was a mess of a human, but that all suddenly changed when his life took a turn for the better.

He was taught that he _did_ have a reason to be alive. He may have been born fucked up with no way of changing that, but he had his body. His body gave him something to offer to the world, something to show his worth, something to _live_ for. His purpose had been with him all along, to use his body to bring happiness to others. And really...he wouldn't want it any other way.

He was happy. Being able to show off made him happy. Knowing that he had a purpose and that someone appreciated his purpose made him happy. He could've gone like this forever.

...until he was abandoned.

Again.

***

_whydidyouleavemewhydidyouleavemewhydidyouleavemewhydidyouleaveme_

If Lance ever needed even more proof, he finally got it. No matter what the circumstances in his life were, no matter how happy he got, things weren't meant to go his way.

***

_whydoeseveryoneleavewhydoeseveryoneleavewhydoeseveryoneleavewhydoeseveryoneleave_

Realistically, the only person he could blame for everything was himself. It was because he was born this way, because he was so fucked up in the head that nobody could handle him, not even _he_ could handle him, because honestly why would anybody ever want to be around someone as messed up as him?

For his entire life, Lance had been taught that mental illnesses made him messed up and that he was just born this way, that he was a being lesser than a human and that he deserved every ounce of hurt that was inflicted upon him. Somebody like him wasn't deserving of people who were genuine...or rather, people who were genuine simply didn't exist. Not for him. The only people who would approach him wanted him for something, most likely his body. They all wanted to use him.

But Lance was okay with that. After all...that was what gave his life purpose.

***

_"Thank you for using me to get off."_

Lance was alone now, abandoned and forgotten...but that was okay. He had his body, he had his purpose, he could continue to please others, even if the happiness it once brought him was gone.

It was tiring...so, very tiring...he felt like a dead man dancing, barely able to recognize the faces of the people he showed his body to. But, eventually, even getting tired was tiresome...he didn't want to go on like that...he didn't want to be so tired...

Maybe if he continued to do as he was taught, he could still feel worth something.

Maybe if he continued to please others, he'd find pleasure for himself and wouldn't be so tired.

...maybe, in time...the world would let Lance know it was okay to be okay.

But until then...he would dance. He would dance and squirm and shake, like a fly caught in an inescapable web of sins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't even the tip of the iceberg for dark angst in this story, so strap yourselves in for more down the line. This really is just a small glimpse that doesn't give details, but it _does_ give some insight into Lance as a character, which I hope you found enjoyable (and heartbreaking).  
> 
> 
> A reminder: this is _Lance's_ view on mental illnesses; his point of view is incredibly warped and has been manipulated by his life. I am not trying to increase stigma around people facing poor mental health. Remember, in the warnings section for this fanfic, I stated that there would be dark themes but that none of it would be glorified. I am not glorifying anything here; this is just how Lance's character views things.  
> 
> 
> It is my hope that as we go through this story together and you watch Lance's character growth, you can maybe learn a bit more about yourself, too.  
> 
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading! If you want to keep up with my writing, or if you ever want to chat or interact with me, follow me at my tumblr link below; I would love to talk about this story or about Voltron or just anything in general:  
> 
> 
> <https://charlottexoyates.tumblr.com/>


	2. The Web of Sins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter now contains art done by the unbelievably talented [charlieedevers](https://charlieedevers.tumblr.com/)! Please please PLEASE check them out, their artwork is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and I could not be more happy to have their art in my fic!

Keith's heart was a nervous, thumping mess as he gripped his steering wheel with sweaty hands, eyes focusing on the road to try and take his focus off of his uneasiness. He couldn't believe he was actually doing this. It wasn't like he shunned the sex industry or anything since people had their reasons for being in that line of work, but he didn't particularly like the idea of getting involved with it, either. At the very least, he never thought he of all people would ever be going to a strip club. He didn't have a choice, though. Or at least, that's what he kept telling himself. Matt had practically peer pressured him into this situation; no, he had straight up guilted Keith into doing this.

His car began slowing down as his phone announced that he had arrived, his eyebrows curling up in apprehension. This was it. _5704 Baku Gardens Street: Web of Sins_. A heavy sigh escaped Keith. Maybe he was being too harsh on Matt. He knew the smartass was only trying to look out for Shiro, who had to deal with Keith whenever he blew up or lost his temper.

According to the TA, Keith had been snapping more than usual as of late, and Matt had been quick to connect it with Keith's lack of any recent sexual activity. The thought still made Keith scoff because he didn't even think his temper had been that bad lately, and he _definitely_ didn't think it had anything to do with his lack of recent sex, but Shiro had insisted that the stress from studying to become a pediatrician had been getting to him and that he needed to take care of it somehow.

Matt, being a former stripper, suggested Keith visit his old work place, 'The Web of Sins', to ease his sexual frustrations. He described it as being 'immoral and free', which didn't make Keith feel any better whatsoever about what he was doing.

_This is all for Shiro_ , he repeated in his head as he pulled into the parking lot and looked at the building in front of him, already able to hear techno music through the walls. He was about 1,000 percent sure this was pointless, but if he really was lashing out as much as Shiro said he was, then he didn't want to just do nothing. He didn't want to keep this temper up, because eventually Shiro would get tired of it, so he figured he might as well try taking Matt's advice. He honestly doubted visiting a gay strip club would do anything to help his stress, but he also doubted he could fix his temper on his own, so here he was with nothing to lose.

Keith stepped out of his car, taking a moment to rub his hand against its smooth, red, metal side appreciatively, hoping it would help calm down his nerves that were currently going haywire. His first and probably last time at a strip club. Hallelujah.

The music was even louder now that he was outside of his car, and he was just standing still, taking deep breaths and eyeing the building with confliction.

_I'm just here to check it out, that's all. See if I think it can help. I'm just taking a look around_. He gulped, somehow building up the nerves to walk to the front of the building. The first thing he saw was a circular purple sign attached to the building with the words 'The Web of Sins' neatly calligraphed in black. The dark color made for a horrible marketing strategy because, seriously, nobody could possibly see this sign at night unless they were at least within ten feet of it, but what really baffled him was the designs.

_Spider webs_? He thought to himself, eyebrow raised as he observed the black web designs weaved into the sign and behind the letters. He wasn't sure what he was expecting from a place called 'The Web of Sins', but it hadn't been this. How could a spider web theme possibly be sexy or appealing? This was straight up creepy! A website of sins or something would've been a better icon than a spider web of sins, even if it made no sense.

A sudden cough directed Keith's attention to the bouncer standing just a little ways away from him, looking about as intimidating as a bouncer could possibly get. He approached the tall suited man uncertainly, knowing that it was too late to turn back now.

"Is there...an entrance fee?" He asked slowly, even more nervous than before. The man towered over him, eyes scanning him up and down before he suddenly smiled, holding his hand out.

"$20 cover charge for nighttime visits, and I'll need a confirmation of your age since you look so young. The ol' web here isn't exactly a saint's palace, so we gotta be careful with who we let in. Dirty things happen in there, let me tell you. Though, I'm sure that's why you're here, eh?" Keith wrinkled his nose in disapproval, but knew better than to disrespect the bouncer's attempt at socializing.

"Yeah, I guess," He said lamely, flipping through his wallet and taking out two tens plus his license to show his age. The large man graciously accepted the money and briefly scanned his license before stepping aside and waving him forward with a grin.

"In you go. Enjoy your time in the web. Once you're caught, you never escape." Keith's brows furrowed at that as he hesitantly walked through the door. Talk about a freaky catchphrase, yikes. Matt had told him this place was immoral, but he hadn't said it was straight up creepy. If he didn't know better he'd think it was more like a haunted house rather than a strip clu-

"Woah." Keith's thoughts escaped him in an exhale of amazement as his eyes took in the sight before him. The room was spacious and neatly arranged with tables and chairs placed around the room for convenience. Some people were just talking to each other at the tables while others were leaning back and letting the young, curvaceous men dance against their lap, hips moving along with the techno music that he could hear clearly now that he was in the actual club. The lighting was mostly a dark purple, but there was a mixture of other lights overhead that must've somehow brought out the color in clothing or something, because he could clearly make out the exact shade of each piece of lingerie worn by the dancers as his eyes darted from table to table, entranced.

Keith's expectations of the place were shattered for the second time that night, except this time he was impressed rather than creeped out, having never expected such chaos to be arranged in such a clean manner. Sure, he'd seen strip clubs as depicted in movies, but the constant flashing lights that were usually associated with clubs weren't up in Keith's face like he'd expected.

He wasn't exactly excited since, at the end of the day, he still felt a bit guilty about being here in the first place, but he was definitely intrigued. He wanted to at least take a look around.

Matt hadn't explained anything as far as strip club etiquette went, so he wasn't sure what to do. He stuck to the back of the club, wandering and never staying in the same spot for too long. His eyes followed a similar pattern to his feet, darting around every few seconds just in case it was considered rude to watch people while they were getting a lap dance.

He honestly felt sort of pathetic just hanging back by a wall, but he couldn't help it. He'd never been interested in strip clubs before, and thus had never looked into what you were supposed to actually _do_ at one.

He could see what looked to be a main stage in the front center of the room, and just to the left of it was a bar being occupied by several men. Since he had nothing else to do, he figured that seemed like a good place to start and slowly made his way over. He still couldn't believe he was actually checking out a strip club, but he was already here, so he might as well try to fit in, and he knew a drink or two would help.

"Hey," He leaned against the counter and called out to the ginger-haired bartender, lifting an eyebrow when the man turned around to reveal his large mustache. He definitely looked to be on the older side. "Bring me a beer, would you?" The bartender flashed him an enthusiastic smile and even gave a thumbs up before quickly moving to fetch him a drink. Keith would've snickered if he wasn't so anxious. Instead, he just took a seat and tapped his leg impatiently.

"You didn't specify, so I got you a drink from my _personal_ recommended list! Hope you'll enjoy it, even though I know you will!" The bartender declared, speaking in an accent that Keith hadn't expected while passing him a cup. He nodded in thanks and quickly paid up before tipping the cup to his mouth and downing it as quickly as he could. His breaths came out heavily from chugging it, staring into the cup's empty contents and letting himself ease up a bit. He definitely wasn't going to get drunk off of just that, which was a good thing since he had a test in the morning and thus had no intention of getting drunk tonight, but he did suddenly feel more comfortable despite being in a strip club.

His shoulders relaxed a bit, and before he even had time to rebuild his uneasiness over what to do now, people began rushing past him towards the main stage, flocking around it until he was the only one sitting at the bar. He looked on curiously before turning to the bartender, waving him over.

"Hey, what's going on?" He asked, gesturing in the direction of the stage. The mustached man chuckled a bit, leaning against the counter and looking at Keith with a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, new here, are we? I thought I hadn't seen you before! If that's the case, I recommend you go take a look for yourself! It'll be more exciting that way!" He winked before walking away, leaving Keith even more curious than before. He swung out of his seat and followed mob mentality, making his way to the back of the crowd and getting a better view of what the main stage looked like.

From where he was, he could see railings caging off the stage on all sides so that the only way to enter was to walk in from the catwalk connected to the backstage, wherever the entrance to that was. The seats on either side of the stage were completely filled, which was the reason for such a huge crowd standing in front of it. As for the stage itself, it was complete open space on the surface save for a pole in the middle that connected to the ceiling.

Keith could feel the tenseness in the air as all the men around him waited eagerly for something. His first guess was that a performance was about to take place, but the majority of the club had abandoned the tables and the bar counter to gather in this massive crowd, so it must've been something bigger.

The techno music started to fade away, and Keith jumped a bit when he heard the voice of the DJ.

"Get out your cash, folks, BabyBlue is ready to play!" The crowd surged with excitement and moved forward a bit despite the people up front already being pressed to the railings. His eyes locked onto the stage intently, letting the crowd's anticipation feed into his own suspense. Everything seemed to freeze for a few seconds...and then, all the lights in the club instantly changed from whatever color they were to blue like a flash mob of lights, and a smooth, slow piece of r&b music started playing.

Keith looked up in awe, the sudden change in lights catching his attention. The atmosphere of the club was way different from when he first entered, and he was getting more and more impressed with each second. Suddenly, the crowd roared with noise, and he quickly tilted his head back down to look at the stage, not wanting to miss what all this hype was about. He had expected maybe a group performance or, since Matt had said this was an 'immoral' place, maybe a nude show or something. What he saw instead was a single figure walking across the catwalk, body twisting to either side of the crowd surrounding the stage to wave at them.

The first thing Keith noticed was the man's long, slender legs, carrying him across the catwalk with haste and purpose and _confidence_. The stage belonged to him unquestionably, and Keith could understand that much just by watching him walk for the first few seconds. 

As he got closer, Keith quickly took note of the blue panties around his thin waist, and oh _god_ , blue was definitely his color. The blue lights from above further accentuated his tan skin, which was completely hairless and looked as smooth as an egg. Keith felt stupid thinking this, since skin in general was a natural thing, but he was pretty sure this man had the most natural-looking skin he had ever seen.

His eyes traveled further upwards, admiring the lean stature of his tall body. His slim stomach was completely bare for everyone to lay eyes on, not showing much muscle but showing even less fat. The only other article of clothing on his body other than the panties was a small blue bra that fit around his chest nicely, completing his sexy feminine attire. Keith never really had a strong opinion on feminine wear, but one look at the model on stage and he started to form one.

He had one arm resting comfortably at his side while the other waved at the crowd with small, seductive wiggles of his fingers; and then there was his face. If Keith thought he was captivated before, he most certainly was now. The blue light lit up his wide smile, showing off his perfect white teeth, and his eyebrows were lifted in a show of pure glee as he looked back and forth at all the people. From where he was in the crowd, Keith couldn't tell if his eyes were actually blue or if they were just reflecting the light of the club, but the color didn't matter so much when they were sparkling so brightly and innocently, and holy mother of hell, Keith hadn't meant to get lost in analyzing every little detail of the stripper BabyBlue, but it was too late, now. Everything was engraved in his mind as the slender man grabbed a hold of the pole with both hands, swinging around it a bit, sweet smile never disappearing.

The men in the crowd were shouting from every side of Keith as the man leaned with his back against the pole, lightly swaying his hips to the slowly building music but otherwise not moving much. 

Keith was sort of confused. Yes, this boy was drop dead gorgeous and breathtaking, but he still didn't understand why everybody in the club abandoned what they were doing just for this performance...that is, until the beat dropped, and he started dancing. Like, _really_ dancing.

His jaw must've dropped to the floor as the stripper named BabyBlue suddenly turned to face the pole, back arching so that his ass pushed out towards the crowd, earning him a small shower of money. Keith's eyes were immediately drawn to his ass, noting how it bulged against his panties and tilted from side to side hypnotically. Apparently, the size of your waist didn't determine the size of your butt.

His ass was stationary for just a few seconds before he suddenly slid his body up to the pole, wrapping his legs around it and leaning so far back he was facing the crowd upside down. He held that position for a while before winking and pulling himself back up with ease, pushing his ass out briefly again before swinging and body rolling up against the pole, and _fuck_ , Keith was hard. Keith was so fucking hard, and he had only been in this club for about ten minutes. He didn't even realize what he was doing as he started slowly pushing his way through the crowd.

BabyBlue seemed fully aware of what he was doing to the room as he twirled around the pole before grabbing it and actually lifting his legs off of the ground, winking at the audience once more. Seeing him dance not just sexily, but also _athletically_ was even more of a turn on. Clearly his arms were much stronger than they appeared as he closed his legs around the pole, ass facing a different side of the stage. When he descended the pole, he did so completely, collapsing until he was sitting on the ground, legs still wrapped around it.

And then, when the music picked up, and he shot back up the pole with lightning speed, Keith suddenly understood. He suddenly understood why this performance in particular was so big and why it had attracted the presence of everyone in the club. This wasn't just a performance; this was _the_ performance.

He was certain there wasn't a man in this crowd who wasn't completely engrossed in the dance as he continued to move forward through the crowd, not pushing too hard and not rushing. He was, after all, still in a trance as he watched BabyBlue's legs wrap around the pole, hanging upside down before flipping over, literally doing a backflip on the pole until his front was facing the crowd again and he began to roll his hips into the metal.

Loud whistles and money filled the stage, making the tan-skinned man beam and hump the pole harder, even letting out sounds of desperation that went straight to Keith's dick. His actions must've been affecting everyone just as much as it was Keith, because money was flying up like rain from below.

His feet met the surface of the stage again as he danced around the pole, pushing his body up against it suggestively. Every movement he made oozed sex appeal and confidence, and why wouldn't it? He had every right to be confident as he pressed his back to the pole and sunk his body down slowly, grinding back and swaying his hips seductively until he was crouching with his knees spread apart facing the crowd, giving a perfect view of his crotch bulging in his panties. Keith had never before wanted to be a pole so badly, to have this man rubbing his body up against him and feeling him up. He couldn't even deny it anymore; he was definitely feeling sexual frustration right now thanks to the physical embodiment of sex currently owning the stage.

The stripper straightened his body back up before rolling himself against the pole, back arching and moving until he resembled ocean waves crashing into shore. His hips bucked into the pole with each body roll, and Keith was absolutely mesmerized as he finally reached the front few rows of the crowd, looking up at the stage without blinking. The man twirled his body around the pole seductively a few more times before he walked up near the edge of the stage, smile as wide as ever.

"Hiya, everybody! Thanks for coming out to see me tonight!" He spoke loudly but sweetly, and Keith was sure he wouldn't have been able to hear his honeysuckle voice very well above the crowd if he hadn't come to the front rows.

The stripper's hands reached behind himself to the clippings of his bra. "I really wanna thank you all for being here, so how about I take my top off? Doesn't that sound fun?" Keith wasn't sure how the man was able to maintain such an innocent yet playful voice, but it made shivers run through Keith as his blood rushed south.

The crowd was going wild for BabyBlue with both noise and money, and to answer their enthusiasm, he unclipped his bra and slipped it off with a sigh, revealing his toned chest that looked just as smooth as the rest of his body.

"That feels much better! You know, it makes me really happy to be dancing for you all like this...in fact, it makes me so happy, I think I want to share something with you all! Does that sound fun?" The crowd roared with enthusiasm, and hands reached up as the man twirled his bra in his hand with a pleased smile. He scanned over the crowd teasingly, waving and giggling, until he locked eyes with Keith.

A surge of excitement and anxiousness seized Keith all at once as they stared at each other, blue lights flashing overhead, and he swore time slowed down for just that moment. Keith's eyes were filled with awe while the stripper's eyes filled with interest, and he briefly wondered if the one drink he had had was making him imagine this moment. Then the dancer winked, lips curling up in a smile as the blue bra left his hands, flying straight towards Keith.

His arms immediately shot forward in panicked reflex, ripping the bra out of the air from above him and pulling it close so that the men around him couldn't grab for it. He stared down at the blue fabric in his hands, mouth gaping open as his fingers gently squeezed it, unable to believe what just happened. The man giggled from up on stage, drawing Keith's attention back up to see his fingers wave a little.

"Enjoy your present!" He cooed, batting his eyelashes at him before turning and walking back to the pole, hips swinging with attitude. Keith was flattered, awestruck, and super fucking aroused as he watched him climb his way up the pole with ease again.

The dancing that followed was nothing like before as the dancer's body curled around the pole in mid-air, splitting his legs apart to show off to the crowd. Keith could hardly even follow along with his movements as he struck countless mid-air poses, having never known it was possible to do such things. He didn't know pole dancing actually included feats of super athleticism, but here he was, being taught a lesson on strip dancing by what must've been the most beautiful man he'd ever seen.

His fingers curled into the bra as if it would help relieve his arousal, tuning out the noises of the crowd as he watched the dancer dance. Maybe he was just delirious with lust, or maybe he was more of a lightweight than he thought, but Keith swore that the man was moving just for him, legs curling around the pole as he showed off his bare chest just for Keith.

He didn't even register that that had been the end of the song and the final pose until the man slid his way down the pole and sauntered over to the edge of the railing, pushing his ass out for the front crowd. Men began moving forward, rolling up money and stuffing it into his panties, and he smiled while sweetly thanking each of them. Keith breathed heavily at being so close to him, and a part of him wanted to make eye contact again, but the man didn't spare Keith a glance, politely keeping his attention on each man that came forward to tip him. Keith was debating pushing forward to tip him himself when a man suddenly shouted from somewhere behind in the crowd, voice objectifying and drunk.

"Take your panties off too, you slut!" A murmuring of excited voices pass through the crowd as the stripper turned to looked back at them. Keith felt anger flare up in him, hating the use of the word 'slut' like that. Sure, this was a public sexual performance, but that didn't give him the right to disrespect the dancer, and yeah, Keith knew nothing about him, but that didn't stop him from wanting to put the person who called him a slut in his place. He suddenly understood Shiro's comments about his temper as of late, but he didn't care right now as he turned around to try and find the speaker. Before he could act rashly, however, the stripper spoke up.

"My panties, huh? Good idea!" He stood up with his money-stuffed ass pointed towards the crowd, fingers curling beneath the waistband of his panties. Keith's mouth gaped open a bit, eyes wide with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, he was still angry and even shocked that the stripper had just accepted the objectifying comment, but on the other hand, he really did want to get a glimpse past those panties.

His fingers slipped further beneath his panties, tugging teasingly and slowly as all eyes focused on his ass. The blue fabric began to lower, revealing bits of the tan smoothness of his waist before he pulled his fingers away, letting his panties cover him up again and giggling as the crowd went wild.

"Sorry boys, if you want more than a peek, you'll have to catch me off stage. Thanks for the show! Bye bye!" He blew a kiss towards each side of the crowd, winking and waving as he walked back towards the catwalk. Keith's eyes never left him, watching as he made his way down the long stretch of stage before disappearing into the entrance.

Only once the blue lights returned to multi-colors did he remember how to breath, stumbling back with the bra in hand as the crowd broke apart. The DJ said some more stuff as pop music started playing, but Keith didn't listen to him, mind still lingering on that dancer. _His_ dancer. He didn't mean that in a creepy way, but it had felt like he had danced just for him, and he continued to wonder if he was just being delusional as the next performer walked on stage.

Keith stayed to watch out of curiosity, wondering if every performer was as enchanting as BabyBlue; although the significantly reduced crowd size gave him an idea of what to expect. He watched the man dance around the pole, moving his body suggestively and letting the crowd glimpse his ass the entire time...but it lacked the flamboyance and the fun of the previous performance. It didn't do anything for Keith, and he had to straight up walk away in the middle of the dance, not wanting to watch any longer. He wasn't incredibly fond of the idea of people putting their bodies on display like this for money to begin with, so he never thought pole dancing was something he could appreciate. Although, he had appreciated the first performance very much, so...was he into pole dancing or was he not?

He took a seat at the bar just left of the main stage, sighing and looking down at the blue bra in his lap. When he looked at it, all he could imagine was the look on the man's face when he winked at Keith before tossing the bra.

The memory was driving him nuts. Shit. He had come to check this place out per Matt's recommendation that it could help him, but right now it was only making things worse. He seriously needed to loosen himself up more before he drove himself crazy thinking about the performance.

"Hey. Another drink, please." Keith waved the bartender over, and he immediately nodded and got a drink for him, leaning against the counter while setting it down.

"So, enjoy the show?" He twiddled with his mustache like it was a habit, and Keith couldn't help but watch for a second before answering.

"Yeah." _Maybe a little too much_ , he thought, passing his money forward and swinging the cup up to chug it. The cold liquid felt like a sudden breeze in his scorching desert of a body, and Keith relished in the refreshment it provided.

He could feel the bartender's eyes on him as he slammed the cup down, breathing heavily and wiping his mouth a bit. His fingers played around with the straps of the bra, reminding him all over again of just how aroused he was.

"Another." He slid more money past the countertop and lifted the next cup as soon as it was placed in front of him. Keith wasn't an alcoholic by any means whatsoever, but right now he was just trying to put out the fire in his core. Sexual frustration be damned, Keith was fucking _drowning_ in his own desire right now as he felt the heat and hardness still present in his pants. He ordered another drink quickly after his third of the night and accidentally tilted it up to his mouth before even paying, earning him a grumble from the bartender. He gulped in apology and moved to grab his wallet for more money, but another hand slammed down on the countertop from behind Keith out of nowhere, pushing money forward.

"Keep the change, Coran. I'm paying for his tips, too." The stripper known as BabyBlue winked at the bartender, who gladly accepted the money before rushing off to attend to another customer, leaving the two of them alone.

Keith's breath had caught in his throat the moment he saw the dancer, AKA the reason for the erection in his pants, and his body only further stiffened when he sat down next to Keith. He had an actual white shirt on now as opposed to a bra, but still wore the panties and his same sweet smile, which was even more adorable up close.

"Hey there! I saw you at my performance earlier. What'd ya think?"

Keith gulped, thumb fiddling with the cup in his hand as their eyes met, and he discovered that he did in fact have natural blue eyes. Very, very beautiful, natural blue eyes.

"I, uh...you were amazing," he admitted truthfully, shuffling in his seat a bit. He didn't want to be so awkward, but he couldn't help it as his arousal began spiraling out of control. The other man giggled, and by god, it was such a pure sound when it came from right next to him.

"Aw, thanks a lot, sweetie. You got a name? Or should I just call you 'sir'?" His voice was as seductive as his movements had been on stage, and Keith was getting goosebumps. No one had ever been able to get him this worked up in such a short period of time.

"Keith. Keith is fine." The gorgeous boy giggled as Keith spoke stiffly and cleared his throat. "...and you?"

More giggles left the man's mouth as he leaned his elbow onto the counter. "Didn't you hear my name at the stage, hun? It's BabyBlue! But you can call me by any dirty name in the book." He winked and chuckled at his own wittiness, but Keith just wrinkled his nose.

"What about your actual name? I want to call you by that." All giggling ceased immediately, the sudden silence startling Keith. The stripper's sweet smile had disappeared, replaced by a look of puzzlement, like Keith had said something he wasn't supposed to. Nervousness creeped into him as he spoke up quickly. "Uh, unless that isn't allowed or something, then I'll just call you by 'Blue', if that works." He gulped, hoping he hadn't crossed a line with his lack of knowledge on strip club etiquette.

The dancer shook his head, smiling again as if that awkward silence had never existed. "No, no! It's okay! That's just not something people ask often, I guess." He laughed lightly, breaking eye contact with Keith for the first time. "...Lance. It's Lance."

"Lance." Keith repeated dumbly, blinking a few times as he watched Lance lean into the counter more. He would've felt embarrassed for repeating his name out loud for no reason, but he was mildly under the effects of alcohol, and really that was probably the reason he had repeated it anyways other than the fact that it was a super pretty name, so instead he just felt stupid. Lance seemed to find him amusing, though, giggling and looking him in the eyes again.

"So, are you new here? I haven't seen your cute face around before, and I usually know _everyone_." He winked at the end of his sentence, showing off his white teeth that just multiplied the beauty of his smile tenfold. Keith was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to hold a decent conversation with him given his current state of arousal, so he enlisted the help of more alcohol before nodding.

"Yeah, first timer here," he admitted, copying Lance's position and leaning his elbow against the counter. This earned him another heavenly giggle from Lance.

"I thought you might be. That's why I gave you that, as a welcoming gift." He gestured towards the blue bra in Keith's hands, making his eyebrow raise a bit. So he _had_ purposefully given it to him, after all. Keith couldn't help but smile, even if it was just a welcoming gift.

"Thanks. I like it a lot. It looks good on you." He was basically firing out whatever came to his head first to keep their conversation flowing, which apparently meant lots of compliments.

"Aw, I bet it'd look good on you, too," Lance assured. They both broke into laughter at that, with Keith's fingers digging into the countertop. His heart was picking up pace at how odd this all was. He was sitting in a strip club of all places, enjoying the company of a stripper who was still driving his body crazy. Yeah, Keith probably needed another drink.

He rose the cup up to his mouth after calming down from laughing, taking rather large sips as Lance watched him. Then, to his surprise, the stripper leaned towards him and held a hand out.

"Wanna share with me? I could use a drink or two, preferably out of your cup." His voice was as smooth as silk, and Keith could just imagine blue strings materializing from his words and wrapping around Keith's limbs, pulling them along and making him do everything he asked as he offered him the cup.

Lance beamed and accepted it, tilting it to his lips and drinking. Keith watched his adam's apple bob as he swallowed, causing him to gulp, too. He became so transfixed on his throat that he didn't even notice Lance had finished drinking and set the cup down until he spoke.

"So how's your night been? You liking it here so far?"

Keith blinked up to meet Lance's gaze again. "I guess," he answered quickly. "Although, I was a bit surprised to see a strip club designed after a spider web, of all things." _Yes, good job Keith, insult his workplace_ , he scolded himself, but it was too late to take it back. He blamed the alcohol.

Lance just giggled, not seeming offended in the least bit. "Oh, yeah, that sure is something, huh? I mean, I get what they were going for; a web that catches you in it and everything, but the image of spiders probably isn't very much of a turn on."

Keith nodded in agreement, watching Lance and observing the way his eyes shut and brows raised whenever he broke into a fit of giggles.

"You definitely make up for it, though." Keith blurted out.

Lance raised an eyebrow, still grinning. "Just me?" He batted his eyelashes innocently.

"Just you."

"Aw, you're very sweet." Lance reached forward and placed his hand on Keith's, making him shiver at the sudden warm contact between them. "I'm glad to know my show enhanced your first impressions of the Web."

Before Keith could even stop himself, he was squeezing Lance's hand back. "Not just the show. Right now, just talking to you, I think I'm actually enjoying myself right now, in a strip club." He wasn't sure if he hated or loved the things his mildly drunk state of mind was making him say, but apparently his filter was completely gone as he rambled off praises.

The expression on Lance's face morphed from a sweet smile to a look of surprise as he went doe-eyed with confusion, and Keith couldn't help but find the soft look absolutely adorable.

"Holy hell that's cute," Keith muttered, and he honestly thought he had said that in his head until Lance started shuffling uncomfortably, and he realized he was a mildly drunk idiot. "Shit, uh, sorry if I'm being awkward. I'm, like, half-drunk here." He scratched the side of his head, still refusing to believe he was straight up drunk, because he wasn't, he wouldn't get drunk on a night before a test. He was only _mildly_ drunk; or so he kept telling himself.

Lance gulped and pulled his hand back to himself and away from Keith, avoiding his eyes with an unreadable face.

"No, it's okay…" He assured, although he didn't sound so confident. Keith panicked a bit and tried to think up something to say, but unfortunately his brain wasn't working too well right now, and Lance managed to speak first. "I know! You'd like to go to a back room with me for some privacy, wouldn't you?" All semblance of Lance's earlier discomfort was gone now, replaced with his signature smile as he winked.

Talking with Lance somewhere without a bunch of other naked dancers sounded fantastic to Keith, and it was seriously beginning to feel like Lance's words were tugging at his limbs as he lifted himself to his feet.

"Okay," he agreed. Lance beamed and stood up with him, reaching his hand forward once more and tugging at Keith lightly.

"Yay! I'm so excited! Oh, but of course, it's gonna cost quite a bit. Visits to champagne rooms are up to $150 for some alone time. Is that okay with you?" He raised his shoulders gently, head lowering with shaky puppy eyes that ripped Keith's heart right out of his chest. He was so screwed.

"That's okay with me," he confirmed. Lance was immediately smiling again, and fuck, Keith was sure he would've said anything to put that smile on his face as he tugged Keith away from the bar counter. He let Lance lead him mindlessly as his excitement rubbed off onto him despite not fully comprehending what was going on, since he didn't know what a 'champagne room' was.

They turned a corner to enter a long hallway with multiple doors, some open and some closed. Lance smiled back at him, tugging his arm and walking, and Keith could only follow along, insides melting at the adorable looks Lance gave.

His walking pattern was incredibly disoriented due to his erection poking against the inside of his pants, but he did his best to keep up with Lance while completely forgetting about actually trying to hide his arousal. Lance pulled him into a room enthusiastically, shutting the door behind him.

The room shared the dim purple lighting that encompassed the rest of the club but lacked the other lights that flashed overhead in the main room. There were no tables or chairs, but instead, black wall hugger sofas were displayed in the back of the room to give it a more cozy look, with a sideboard table in the middle of the same color.

Lance lead Keith over to the sofas, hands moving to press down on his shoulders until he lowered himself to sit down compliantly. He then rushed over to the table and opened a few cupboards, bringing out a pair of fancy glass cups and a bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne.

Keith smiled in appreciation, remembering to get out his wallet as Lance poured the liquid into the cups until they were chalices of pale gold. The clear, reflective nature of the glass accentuated the beautiful amber champagne, and Keith couldn't tear his eyes away as Lance walked back over to him.

"Here you are," he announced, handing a cup to Keith and keeping the other one close for himself. Keith set the blue bra aside and brought out his money, taking the cup so that Lance could accept the payment with his free hand. He smiled and slipped the bills into his panties, making Keith gulp a bit.

Lance lowered himself to sit on Keith's lap, making him gasp loudly, breath catching in his throat.

"Um…" he trailed off, knowing there was no use in hiding his erection at this point. Lance just giggled at him, getting comfortable in his lap and moving his cup closer.

"You don't have to be so decent! We're in a private room, after all. You can do whatever you want to me." His voice was devoid of its usual honey-like sweetness, instead dripping with suggestive intent that sounded so _dirty_. Keith gulped again, eyes scaling up and down the curve of Lance's body. They were so unbelievably close, and it wasn't doing Keith's dick any favors. He didn't want to just act upon his desires and instincts, though. It just wouldn't feel right if he did something bad to Lance, so he kept his hands to himself.

"Come on, let's drink already! I promise the champagne is delicious!" Lance insisted, moving his cup forward.

Keith got the memo and decided to go along with it, since he didn't know what else to do about this situation that was quickly spiralling out of his control. He tipped his wrist forward until the two of them clinked glasses, and Lance giggled at the gesture before lifting his cup to his lips. Keith followed his example, tilting the glass backwards to sip the champagne. It really was as delicious as Lance had promised, and he sighed in satisfaction at the bubbly, fruity taste.

Lance smiled upon seeing that he enjoyed the champagne and lowered his cup, tongue lightly tracing over his lips as he looked into Keith's eyes.

"So, how long have you had this?" There was a knowing and teasing look in his eyes as his finger tapped the tip of Keith's bulge, causing him to shiver.

"Since, uh...since your performance," he admitted, unsure of whether or not it was a good idea or not to confess that. It really didn't matter what he thought, though, since his filterless brain was doing its own thing.

Lance hummed thoughtfully, lips curling up into a smile that made Keith's face and body even hotter. "Really, now. All the way since then? You poor thing...I'm so sorry you've been suffering all this time." He was literally speaking directly to Keith's dick, hand rubbing up and down the side of his leg.

Keith was conflicted, because holy _hell_ was he turned on, but he didn't want to take this too far. Sex for the sake of having sex wasn't an idea he fancied, but so long as things didn't get too out of hand, maybe it was at least okay to get off.

It might've been the alcohol speaking and convincing him - scratch that, it was _definitely_ the alcohol speaking - but he had come here to help ease his sexual frustration after all, which, as much as it pained him to admit it, Matt had been correct about, so surely this much was alright.

He let Lance steal his cup and watched him turn around and reach towards the table to set them down. His eyes were glued to Lance's body, intrigued by how flexible he was as he got up and repositioned himself until he was straddling Keith, hands on his shoulders for support.

"Just sit back and relax. I'll take good care of you," Lance promised, eyes shrinking into seductive slits. Keith gulped but gave a nod of approval, deciding that he wanted this too badly to stop it right now. Lance beamed at him, going down on his lap so that his ass was grinding against his cock lightly, drawing out groans from Keith.

His noises gave Lance confidence, not that the dancer particularly lacked any to begin with as he rolled himself down, hands simultaneously beginning to explore Keith's biceps. Yeah, Lance knew exactly what he was doing, which didn't come as any surprise to Keith.

He let out another breathy groan as Lance sat on his clothed erection, bouncing his ass against it and fluttering his eyes at Keith flirtatiously, fingers now dancing against his chest. Keith's breathing was picking up as Lance leaned his face closer to his, their noses just inches apart.

"Are you enjoying your time in the champagne room so far?" He asked the question as if the answer could be anything but 'yes', and Keith immediately nodded his head. Lance's smile widened at that as he whispered in Keith's ear. "That's good. But we've only just begun." He pushed against Keith's chest and got off of his lap before immediately mounting him again, this time with his back facing towards Keith.

He gulped, eyes focused on Lance's curves as the dancer's hands reached back to hold his shoulders for support once again. His hips began rolling backwards sexily for Keith's view, and he could feel his dick pulse with heat and lust from inside his pants.

Lance's panties hid the actual sight of his ass, but it did little to conceal the shape as he swayed his hips and pushed it out towards Keith, dancing on his lap slowly and grinding against his hard dick with every chance he got.

"You can touch me, you know. We're in a private room, after all. I'm feeling lonely here," Lance encouraged sweetly, turning to smile back at him.

Keith knew that if he didn't relieve his sexual frustration tonight then he would be screwed tomorrow, and touching himself wasn't going to do it for him at this point. He swallowed the lump in his throat and made a silent oath to not go too far tonight before snaking his hands to Lance's sides and feeling up his generous curves, shivering at how wonderful the sensation was to his fingertips.

Lance made a high pitched squeaking sound that just got Keith harder, if that was even possible. He wanted to hear more of Lance's noises and began to gently knead and squeeze his sides, taking note of where the man was most sensitive.

The dancer trembled and whimpered at the touches, back arching into an impressive angle with his ass pushed backwards into Keith's crotch.

Keith groaned in approval at that, transfixed on the way Lance's body swayed like he was swimming against the purple lighting. It was…

"Beautiful." The word left Keith's mouth before he could stop it, causing Lance's movements to flinch for a split second. He quickly recovered, though, twisting his body to stare at Keith with a seductive smile.

"Aw, you are, too!" He laughed lightly.

Keith's pupils widened at how flexible Lance's body must've been. He had already known the dancer was capable of moving his body in some crazy positions, but witnessing him twist around to look at Keith while on his lap was another thing entirely.

They stared at each other, with Keith's eyes first tracing over each smooth inch of Lance's plump lips before traveling up to get lost in his ocean-blue eyes. A comfortable silence seized the room as the two of them just gazed at one another in the purple lighting, admiring each other's features.

Lance broke first, quickly shaking his head and putting on a smile. "Let's...let's keep going, shall we? We don't have all the time in the world, after all." He turned back around before scooting off of Keith's lap and getting down on his knees.

Keith gulped and briefly wondered about Lance flinching earlier when he blurted out that he was beautiful, but there was barely any time to think about it much as he looked down at Lance kneeling in between his legs. Excitement coursed through his veins as Lance's hands rubbed his clothed erection, grinning up at him.

"Are you ready for this, daddy?"

Keith froze, lips pursing together in awkwardness. "I...yes. But...just 'Keith' is fine." Keith was by no means one to kink shame. People could be into whatever they wanted and that was fine; but things would get very awkward very quickly if Lance kept calling him that, so he decided to make his discomfort clear from the get go.

Lance immediately got the memo, blushing a bit. His fingers undid Keith's zipper and slid into the hem of his pants, pulling them down to Keith's ankles and licking his lips at the sight of Keith's large bulge in his black boxers. Keith leaned back intently, the unexpected 'daddy' thing forgotten with the champagne.

"Looks like we're both lucky tonight," Lance said teasingly, referring to Keith's size as he wrapped his hand around the clothed cock and squeezed it lightly. Keith let out a low moan, hips bucking forward into the touch.

Lance giggled at his reaction, licking his lips once more. Then, as if he were as impatient for what was coming as Keith was, his fingers slid to the top of his boxers and dragged it down and over his cock, letting the throbbing organ spring free.

Keith sighed in content, sinking into the back of the sofa more to push his dick forward as his boxers were pulled down to where his pants were. Lance eyed his exposed cock like it was a piece of candy and wasted no time in wrapping his hands around the fleshy base, much to both of their pleasure.

"Wow, I totally scored big time." Lance chuckled, scaling the underside of Keith's length with his thumb until it reached the head of his cock, spreading his precum in circular motions.

A shiver ran through Keith's body as he groaned, legs spreading apart wider so that Lance could scoot closer, squeezing his cock and pressing his thumb against the tip with more force.

Keith was throbbing furiously, his dick growing hotter and hotter in Lance's hand as he began to pump slowly, and by the gods, it felt so good to finally have attention given to his dick. He must've been even more backed up than he'd realized, because he was feeling extra sensitive to touch. Either that or Lance's fingers were just incredibly skilled, and honestly it could've been either one as Keith struggled to keep his breathing under control.

"Lance…" The name came out in a whisper from Keith's mouth as he glanced down, watching Lance's hand move up and down his cock while the other hand ran fingers against his inner thigh lightly.

He was clearly still just teasing Keith as his hands played with his cock, exploring up and down the length of it at alternating speeds, and it was beginning to drive Keith insane. He wanted more friction, craved it, _needed_ it.

His hips bucked forward impatiently, earning him a chuckle from Lance.

"Somebody's getting desperate, hm?" His hands stopped completely to tease Keith even further, looking up innocently.

" _Lance_ ," Keith groaned, voice nearing a commanding tone for the first time that night.

Lance's eyes fluttered up at him as he chuckled. "As you wish," he breathed out, moving forward more in between Keith's legs to place a light kiss against the head of his cock.

The contact between Lance's lips and his dick sent a jolt up his spine, even if it was brief. His legs spread wider apart and his hands grabbed the sofa in anticipation, and then, Lance's mouth finally wrapped around him, tongue lightly flicking against the bottom of his head and drawing out a long moan from Keith's throat.

His head moved down on Keith's cock more, engulfing the length in his warm mouth while his tongue continued swirling around it. Keith clenched his teeth together, the wetness of Lance's mouth bombarding him with surreal pleasure.

A part of him longed to place his hand on Lance's head, to guide him against his dick, but he knew Lance didn't need guidance. He was in control here, and Keith didn't mind letting him lead for now.

Lance continued moving forward, eyes closed as he focused on taking in Keith's cock. He was sure that Lance would stop at any moment, but he didn't. Lance's head kept going down on Keith, engulfing him further and further until he had the entire dick in his mouth.

Keith's back arched in pleasure as he looked down at him with wide eyes. He could feel the tip of his cock poking Lance's throat, but Lance didn't seem to care as he hollowed his cheeks in and sucked, the sudden suction sending waves of immense pleasure through Keith's body like wildfire.

"Fuck, Lance!" Keith's face tensed in passion as his fingers curled into the sofa and clawed the cushions laboriously. Sweat was dripping from his forehead and his breaths were heavy and shallow as he looked down at him.

Lance kept his eyes open, blue jewels blinking up at Keith innocently as he sucked and deepthroated his cock skillfully. Keith couldn't believe how easily Lance could take his entire cock without choking, and on top of that, he managed to keep such a sweet and pure look on his face while doing it.

His tongue vibrated back and forth beneath Keith's cock as his tight throat flexed around his tip, drawing out more moans from Keith. It was easily the most mind-blowing blowjob he had ever experienced, and while he didn't have sex too often, that was still saying something.

"You're...amazing at this," Keith breathed out, his mildly drunk mind still just firing out the compliments. It was true, though. Lance was either a natural at sucking dick or he had had a lot of practice.

Lance's ass waggled back and forth in response to the compliment, turning Keith on even more. His lips tightened around the base of his cock before he started to moan, the sound vibrating against Keith's dick and straight up his body.

"Oh…!" Keith's chest heaved as breathing suddenly became significantly more difficult. His hand reached down to cup Lance's cheek, thumb tracing his jawline appreciatively.

Lance seemed to recoil at the sudden gentle touch, pulling off of his cock a bit. Keith looked down panickedly, worried that he may have overstepped some sort of boundary. When he looked, though, Lance showed no signs of discomfort as he went back down on Keith again, and he wondered if he had just imagined the sudden recoil.

The stripper bobbed his head along Keith's cock, moving up and down the length and letting the tip penetrate his throat each time.

Keith could feel his knees growing weaker by the second as pleasure seized his body and made him extra sensitive to Lance's sucking and bobbing. His back pushed into the sofa more as he looked down, never breaking eye contact with that innocent blue gaze.

Lance's mouth made the most lewd of noises with each bob of his head, speeding up the movement of his mouth as if desperate for Keith's cum.

Keith was most certainly desperate as he bucked his hips forward into Lance's hot mouth, panting and sweating intensely. The look in those blue eyes just seemed to get more innocent by the second despite the dirty things Lance was doing, and the contrast just brought Keith closer to the edge.

He could feel the head of his cock abusing Lance's throat - hard. He didn't seem to possess a gag reflex of any kind, taking each hit easily and bobbing his head faster and faster. His fingers suddenly cupped Keith's balls, fondling them before squeezing them firmly but gently, and that was what finally caused a familiar tightening in the pit of Keith's stomach that he hadn't felt in far too long.

"God...Lance! I'm gonna cum!" Keith warned, mouth parted open in a pleasured cry. Instead of pulling off, Lance just bobbed his head more before shoving his face forward into Keith's crotch, and like a cup of water brimming to the tip, Keith spilled over.

He gave a loud cry of fulfillment as his toes curled in ecstasy, unable to stop himself from bucking forward as Lance practically sucked the cum from his dick. It was easily one of the hardest and best orgasms he'd ever experienced as he shot load after load of warm cum down Lance's throat, the wet suctioning never fading for a second.

His body spasmed with each burst of cum, eyes opening slightly to watch Lance's throat bob, signifying that he was indeed swallowing every drop that Keith supplied him. That just made Keith cum harder, his thick seed spilling into Lance's mouth for a few more seconds before he began to come down from his sex high, gasping for air.

"Holy fuck…" He cursed, sweaty body relaxing back into the sofa completely as he stared at the ceiling in a daze.

Lance climbed up next to him on the sofa, scooting his body close and licking his lips, showing no signs of having spilled any of Keith's cum. "Delicious. Did you enjoy that?"

"I did a lot more than just 'enjoy' that," Keith breathed out, lifting his head a bit just so that he could look Lance in the eyes. "You were incredible. Is your throat okay, though?" His hand reached forward a bit to lightly touch Lance's neck, causing the stripper to momentarily flinch.

This alarmed Keith, and he quickly withdrew his hand while looking Lance over worriedly. "Does it hurt?"

"Huh? No! Just...I just wasn't expecting...never mind. Sorry about that..." Lance's face reddened a bit as he looked down, and even though Keith was still confused, he couldn't help but find Lance really adorable the way he was right now.

"I don't really get it, but you're cute when you're flustered."

Wow. Okay, so that just came out without warning. Stupid filterless mildly half-drunk piece of shit brain or whatever. He honestly couldn't regret it much, though; not when it earned him more blushing from Lance. It was such a stark contrast to the stripper's usual sexual personality, and while Keith did find Lance incredibly alluring, this side of him was enticing in a completely different way.

"Um...thanks...you're cute, too." Lance did his best to smile at Keith flirtatiously, and it sort of worked, but the blush was still just barely visible. Seeing him try to hide it made Keith wonder if Lance didn't like being flustered. Whatever the case, Keith knew _he_ sure liked it. Hearing Lance call him cute was nice, and he was about to respond when suddenly Lance stood back up with his hands tugging at his panties.

"We should hurry and get you what you really came here for. Don't worry; I _promise_ I can get you hard and get you off again quickly!" He winked, hips swaying in a seductive manner.

Keith's eyes widened at the implications, and he quickly straightened his back a bit. "What? Oh, no, that's alright! I, uh...didn't come here for that!" Thank god his brain managed to stay sensible when it came to this. He was getting conflicted all over again, because yes, when he looked at the big picture, he had come here to relieve himself of his sexual frustrations, but _technically_ he had told himself he was just gonna check the club out. Using another man just to get off wasn't really supposed to be a part of his schedule, but here he was.

"I shouldn't have used you to get off," Keith muttered guiltily. It probably made no sense for him to be admitting his regrets to Lance, but his mind seemed to be deciding to not fuck anything except for logic tonight. Seriously, he hadn't even drank that much! Shiro would be so disappointed with how poorly Keith was handling his alcohol.

Lance was just eyeing him like he was crazy. "...what are you talking about? This is literally my job. I'm used to being used for this stuff."

Keith's eyes widened a bit as he looked up, meeting Lance's serious and somewhat dismal gaze. His last sentence only furthered Keith's guilt, since he just emphasized that, yes, Keith had indeed just used him, and even worse was the fact that Lance was _used_ to being used for this kind of stuff.

The thought ate away at Keith's conscience and put things into perspective for him, because the two of them didn't seem to be much different in age. Why was Lance working in a place like this to begin with?

Keith wanted to ask, to understand Lance's words a bit more, but his morals won out over his semi-drunk mind. "This strip club stuff just isn't really my type of thing," he said instead, not wanting to infringe on Lance's privacy.

Lance's face lightened up at that, and he even giggled a little, losing the solemn look from earlier. "Okay, you're definitely new. If I had any doubts about it before, they're gone now." He gasped suddenly, leaning forward a bit. "Wait, are you a virgin? Not to be offensive or anything; nothing wrong with virgins!"

Keith's jaw dropped in disbelief. "What? No! I'm not a virgin!"

Lance chuckled more. "Are you sure? Because you sorta act like one."

"Of course I'm sure! What makes me seem like a virgin to you?"

He looked up thoughtfully for a moment before smiling at Keith. "The way you talk to me and everything, it just screams virgin!"

Keith grumbled a bit. "How are you expecting for me to talk to you? You're a human, so I'm going to treat you like one." He spoke definitively, and Lance fell suddenly silent with an unreadable expression on his face.

What Keith was saying was true - he wasn't a virgin by any means, but that didn't mean he was going to treat Lance as anything other than human.

"I'm not going to objectify you to a 'slut', like all those other guys at the performance."

Lance blinked up at Keith a few times before his smirk reappeared on his face, and he leaned forward. "But Keith, I _am_ a slut!" He cooed, drawing out the vowel in Keith's name as his eyelashes flitted in a seductive manner.

Keith's palms began sweating slightly in discomfort and distaste. There was nothing sexy about slut shaming to him; he just found the concept repulsive and degrading. Lance seemed to pick up on this just as quickly as he had with Keith's unease with the 'daddy' thing during the blowjob, because he backed up to give Keith some more space before bouncing to his feet.

"...well, if you don't want to touch me anymore...shall we head back to the main room?" He took a few steps towards the door before stopping to twist his body around to look at Keith, tilting his head a bit.

Fuck. Even now, Lance was indescribably cute. "Yeah, sounds good." Keith pulled his boxers and pants back up before following after Lance, grateful that his knees were somehow still working after Lance's blowjob turned them to jelly just minutes prior.

Keith was going to suggest he leave as soon as they returned to the main area since he still felt guilty just by being here, but Lance grabbed him and tugged him over to the bar counter.

"Coran, get me a piece of paper and a pen, please!" Lance called out to the ginger man before sitting down and turning to face Keith with a smile.

Keith rose an eyebrow, sitting next to him. "Actually...I was about to, uh…" he trailed off, not wanting to make Lance feel even more used by just dropping him and leaving, but really, wasn't that his only option?

Lance watched him struggle to speak, lips curling up in amusement. "Hey, chill out, I'm not expecting you to stay after getting off. I just thought I'd write down my phone number for you first."

Keith smiled apologetically. "Again, I'm sorry about - wait, what?"

"Yeah! I gotta get you my phone number before you leave, of course!" Lance beamed at him and spoke like this was the obvious course of action.

Keith stared blankly at Lance for a moment, gulping. "...for what?"

Lance rolled his eyes good-naturedly, leaning his elbow onto the counter. "What else do people exchange phone numbers for? For staying in contact, of course! I know you're all virgin-like, but even you could've figured that one out. Oh! Thanks, Coran!" Lance took the pen and paper from Coran and began scribbling down numbers as Keith sat still in shock at this sudden turn of events.

Lance was giving Keith his number? Why? Why did Lance want to stay in contact with him? Did Keith even want this? Did he want to stay in contact with Lance?

To his surprise, the answer to that question was more complicated than he'd thought it would be now that he was considering the idea. He _had_ had fun with Lance; it was the concept of a strip club itself that was turning Keith away.

He disliked the idea of being surrounded by a bunch of people putting their bodies on display, and he _hated_ the fact that Lance was 'used to being used'. But in a way, that was another reason for him to keep in contact with Lance...maybe it would help him feel less like he used Lance.

"Here!" Keith snapped out of his reverie and back to Lance in surprise as he held out the piece of paper towards him. He hesitated for a second before slowly reaching forward and accepting the paper.

Lance bounced in his seat with a wide smile, and Keith was again reminded of how precious that smile was. "...thanks." Keith muttered. He stared at Lance's smile for a little before a group of semi-naked dancers made their way over to the bar counter, clinging onto a man who was groping them everywhere. The scene was very uncomfortable to look at for Keith and reminded him that he needed to get out of here. "I, uh...think I should go."

Lance nodded, hands in his lap. "See you soon, then!"

Keith froze for a moment at Lance implying he wanted him to come back to the Web some time. He couldn't make any promises for that, but he could at least promise he'd talk to him.

"I'll text you later," he suggested, standing up from his seat.

"Sounds good!" Lance gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up that Keith found incredibly endearing before heading for the exit door. Before he left, though, he had to pause briefly to look back at Lance one last time, the multi-colored lights overhead lighting up the dancer's features in multiple shades of red, blue and purple. He looked just as beautiful as sitting there as he had on stage, and it made Keith smile as he left the building.

He still felt dumb about coming to a strip club in the first place, and his regret over using Lance for his own sexual needs was still very much prevalent...but he wanted to see Lance again. He wanted to make it up to him for just using him today. So, he decided he would.

***~Lance~***

Lance sighed, leaning his face into one hand as he watched Keith walk away from behind. He briefly wondered if it had been a good idea to invite him to come back to the Web, given how strangely Keith had treated him…

He shook his head to clear it, briefly glancing at the man right next to him who was touching the strippers that clung to him and was treating them how most people treated strippers like Lance at the Web.

It wasn't that Keith was strange or different...he had just been really drunk. That was the only answer Lance could come to as he got up and began walking to the bathroom to freshen himself up a bit. That was the only reason he could think of as to why Keith seemed to be so considerate. Either he was really drunk, or he was trying to get something from Lance, which Lance didn't mind.

Whatever it was, he was easy money for Lance, and that was all that mattered. The things Keith said while drunk didn't matter because he didn't know what he was saying.

_"You're a human, so I'm going to treat you like one."_

Lance wasn't human.

Lance was something lesser.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DID YOU KNOW THE WEB OF SINS ACTUALLY EXISTS???
> 
> That's right! Click the link below to go to the web of sins! You can ask me questions regarding this fanfic or about anything in general, and I would love to interact with all of you! Furthermore, if you follow me, you'll get regular teasers for the next chapter of this fic! Be like Keith and check it out:
> 
> [Enter the Web](https://charlottexoyates.tumblr.com/)


	3. Shame and Guilt

*bzzz* *bzzz* *bzzz*

The blue blanket covering Lance shuffled off of him as he gasped awake, eyes wide and breaths coming out in heavy wheezes. He pursed his lips together, ignoring the tangy taste of morning breath in his mouth as he turned to face the ceiling. There was an uncomfortable amount of sweat caking his pillow, but physical comfort was the last thing on his mind right now as he reflected on the dream he had just had.

The ocean-based dreamcatcher that hung from the ceiling right above his bed caught his eye, comforting him and reminding him of where he was right now as his fingers curled into the bedsheet. Gradually, his breathing returned to normal, and his eyes and body went lax as he let the anxiety from his dream drift away.

Only once he had calmed down did he notice the buzzing noise of his phone's alarm, and he reached over to grab it, glad to have something to focus his mind on.

He tapped the dismiss button to get rid of the alarm, panic shooting through his body as soon as the screen cleared up and showed him the time.

 _Noon? I set the alarm to noon?!_ He scrambled to sit up, tossing his blanket off completely as he swiped across his phone, praying that his clock was messed up and that he hadn't actually missed his morning shift; something he had never done for as long as he'd worked at the Web.

As soon as he saw texts from Pidge and Hunk, his heart began settling down, and he fell back against the headboard of his bed with a deep sigh of relief. Right - he had the morning shift off today and promised the two of them that he would go see them.

Between waking up from a familiar nightmare and having a brief panic attack from thinking he had missed work, Lance was feeling pretty shitty already this morning, so he took a few extra moments to lay in bed to recollect himself. He opened up his text messages to respond to Pidge and Hunk, but paused in surprise when he saw he had a message from a new number.

'Hey, it's Keith, sorry that I didn't text you as soon as I got home. I collapsed, like, right away. Anyway, I figured I'd do it now right before heading off to school, since, better late than never. Good morning, I guess'

Lance's lips curled up in amusement, and he couldn't help the snicker that overtook him as he read through Keith's text. He was so awkward and dorky that Lance wasn't even sure what to call him anymore. Even a virgin had more seductive flair than Keith did.

Whatever the case, all that mattered was that he had decided to go through with texting Lance, which meant he was interested. Sure, he may have acted suspiciously strange the last time they met, but at the end of the day, he was a customer who would give Lance money, and that was all that mattered.

He quickly typed up replies to Pidge and Hunk's texts, assuring them that he was on his way and that he hadn't cancelled on them, before setting his phone down to get ready for the day. He flicked the bathroom lights on and immediately looked at himself in the mirror, the color of his own eyes bringing up images of the ocean, which in turn caused his mind to drift to the words from Keith's text.

_'I figured I'd do it now right before heading off to school'_

He sighed, tearing his eyes away from the mirror to turn on the sink water. The only reason he was thinking like this was because of the dream he had had; it wasn't important. He'd already put everything behind him.

Still, as he splashed the cool water against his face, he couldn't help but scoff at that single line from Keith's text in distaste and contempt...and envy.

 _School_.

***

Lance hummed along to the song that was playing in his car, which was the same set of r&b music from his performance from last night, coincidentally enough, as he pulled into the driveway of Hunk's house. This was the regular meeting place for the three of them.

His phone buzzed, informing him of a new text from Hunk as soon as he parked in front of the house.

'You almost here? We need your help :D'

'Oh, sorry! I shouldn't text you while you're driving!'

Lance didn't bother to reply since he was already here, although Hunk's enthusiasm was amusing at the very least. He walked up the limestone steps and knocked against the door. Since Hunk had texted him asking where he was, he had assumed they hadn't seen him pull into the driveway; however, the door opened way too fast for them to have not been waiting by it or something.

"Lance!" Hunk cried out, walking forward to embrace Lance.

He laughed a bit, nodding at Pidge from over Hunk's shoulder as he let the big guy squeeze him. He was used to the physical affection from Hunk by now.

The two of them stayed like that for a while with Hunk not letting go of Lance until Pidge cleared her throat.

"Yes, yes, we're both very happy to see Lance. Don't you think we should get back to the pizza though?" Lance raised an eyebrow at her words as Hunk stepped back with a wide smile.

"Right, right! We're making a pizza! Come on, I said we needed your help, remember? Pidge doesn't know what she's doing." Hunk chuckled. "You would think she'd know since she's Italian."

"I'm right here, Hunk. I could always sabotage the pizza."

Hunk gasped. "You wouldn't! Food itself is a sacred art, and homemade pizza is something even greater than that! Lance knows what I'm talking about!"

Pidge crossed her arms with a huff. "Okay, would you actually let him inside now, then? It's the middle of April, you're gonna let a bunch of bugs inside."

Lance laughed nervously as he watched the two friends squabble, his fingers fiddling together. They finally moved in more so that he could step into the house, closing the door behind him and looking around the familiar living room. The walls were a shade of yellow that wasn't too bright or unappealing to the eyes, instead giving off a welcoming feeling with encouraging quotes encrypted in black. He could smell fresh ingredients, which was normal for Hunk's house, as the man waved him over from behind Pidge, who had already disappeared into the other room.

He followed into the kitchen and observed the cutting boards atop the several counters, knives laying beside several different chopped vegetables. Hunk's cooking area was always a sight to behold, and it was probably the thing Lance enjoyed most about the little meetups he would partake in at his house.

"Alright, Lance!" Hunk clapped him on the shoulder, visibly switching into his head chef mode. "I originally had Pidge chopping vegetables while I worked on the dough and the tomato sauce and the meat, but she proved unable to do that, so-"

"You could try and make me sound like less of a burden," Pidge grumbled.

"What? It's just the truth!" Hunk defended, turning to her.

Lance scratched the side of his head, looking at the cut vegetables on the cutting boards. "Well...it looks to me like she was doing a pretty good job."

Hunk chuckled a bit, turning to Lance. "No, no, Lance; I did those. I took over for Pidge. It'd be awesome to have you helping me out, though! It's rough baking a homemade pizza on your own!"

"Right. On your own." Pidge had taken a seat now at Hunk's kitchen table, arms crossed as she propped one leg on top of the other. Lance gave another nervous laugh, awkwardly amused by their antics.

"Uh, yeah! Sure. No problem, Hunk. I can do that."

Hunk beamed and held up a knife, flipping it in his hands skillfully before holding it out for Lance to take. "Sweet! Cooking with you is always fun! Let's get pizza'ing!"

"That isn't even a _word_ , Hunk," Pidge informed, pushing her glasses up. Hunk laughed and turned to converse with Pidge about it, the two of them getting into an off-topic discussion about the Italian language.

Lance, feeling as out of place as usual, just walked around Hunk to the cutting board, grabbing the half-cut pepper to cut away at it while tuning out their conversation. His job here was to chop peppers, after all, so that was what he was going to do.

Since the first pepper was already mostly cut, he finished it off quickly before turning to grab another pepper from the ones Hunk had set up nearby. As he did so, however, Pidge swung out of her chair to walk over and lean against the other side of the counter directly across from him.

"So, Lance, how've you been?"

"Yeah! How's work?" Hunk added, shifting closer to join them.

Lance set the pepper down in front of him, twirling his wrist a little to loosen it up as he smiled back at them politely. "Oh, work is fine! Thank you for asking." He answered simply before turning his attention back to the pepper, sliding the knife against it.

Hunk and Pidge seemed to share some sort of silent conversation, but Lance was more than happy to just focus on his job of chopping peppers. It gave him something to do other than stand around in their awkward silence, after all.

Pidge eventually cleared her throat, moving more in his line of sight. "You know, Hunk and I decided to make pizza for lunch, but, it's probably breakfast for you, right?"

Lance nodded, not looking up from his cutting so as to not cut himself. "Yeah." Hunk and Pidge both knew what Lance did for a living and both of them had gotten used to his work schedules; they had had to after eight months of knowing him. It was a bit of a relief that they didn't give him a hard time for being a stripper and a borderline prostitute, but that was only natural since Pidge's brother Matt had been a stripper and Lance's co-worker back in the day.

"...I bet that's sorta weird, huh? Pizza for breakfast, I mean?" Pidge spoke up again, chin in her hand as she tilted her head at Lance.

"What? No! It's fine! Pizza for breakfast sounds just fine to me!" Lance assured, looking up to meet her eyes to put her at ease. In reality, he probably would've preferred to avoid pizza since it tended to give him too many calories, but he didn't want to be a burden to them, so he went along with it. For whatever reason, she still looked a bit upset as Hunk leaned forward.

"Lance is right! I mean, it's _pizza_! Nobody would say no to pizza, no matter what time of day it is! You should know that, Pidge!"

"I swear if this is another Italian joke, I'm not helping you with your project after this."

Hunk gasped and began complaining, and Lance just smiled a little before going back to cutting the pepper, allowing the two friends to talk to each other. He really didn't know all that much about Hunk and Pidge except that they'd known each other for a while and that they were super smart, and while Lance had been hanging around them for months now, he was usually just sort of 'there', in the background. Not that he minded, of course.

He finished chopping the pepper and pushed the pieces to the side, looking up to grab another one. That was when he noticed Pidge and Hunk had gone silent and seemed to be having another wordless conversation, with Pidge gesturing with her eyes over in Lance's direction every now and then. In other words, it was another awkward silence.

Lance's brows furrowed a bit, trying to figure out what they were doing. Why were they completely silent while gesturing towards him at each other? Why wasn't Hunk finishing up the pizza?

He looked around, eyeing the unfinished dough, and suddenly he understood what they were trying to imply.

"You want me to finish up the rest of the pizza?" He set the knife down, figuring that that was enough peppers anyways, before turning to do the rest of the work. Both Hunk and Pidge immediately panicked, and Hunk rushed past him to get to the dough.

"No, no, no! Nothing like that, I would never make you do all the cooking! I was just, uh...deciding whether or not I should put pineapples on the pizza or not!"

Pidge made a disgusted gasping sound. "Pineapple on pizza? Shame on you!" She leaned back against the counter to look at Lance again. "What are your thoughts on pineapple on pizza, Lance?"

Lance blinked in both surprise and confusion, not really understand what was going on anymore. "Uh...I don't know. Never really thought about it," he said simply. That was the only answer he could give since he didn't think about pizza often and thus didn't think about pizza toppings often. Pineapples were healthy enough, but putting them on pizza didn't suddenly make pizza any better for him, so he wasn't sure about the idea.

Hunk and Pidge exchanged a quick glance, and Lance recognized the fleeting look of disappointment that flashed in their eyes from his answer before they smiled at him and went to work on the pizza. Or at least, Hunk did while Pidge watched.

Lance reflected their smile, but on the inside, he was sighing as he grabbed a mushroom and fiddled with it in his hands. Honestly, he didn't completely understand why Pidge and Hunk were still inviting him to hang out with them after all these months. He always figured it was because they wanted something from him, but even after all this time, he couldn't understand what it was they were getting by talking to him.

For him, he had only started talking to them in the first place to use them as a distraction from all the shit that had happened so many months ago, and even to this day, he only hung out with them so that he wouldn't be left to his own thoughts when he wasn't at work. He used them to take his mind off of things and that was all; that was the basis for their relationship. But no matter how much he analyzed it, the question still remained - what did they use _him_ for?

***

It didn't take too long for Hunk to finish up the rest of the pizza, and once they were done in the kitchen, they moved to his living room to let it sit in the oven.

"Hey, Lance, you wanna see something cool?" Hunk sat down in front of a desk in his large living room and gestured for Lance to look at his laptop with him while typing some things on the keyboard.

Lance couldn't really say no, since, what else was he supposed to do? He stood to the left of Hunk's chair and blinked at the laptop in silence, not understanding a single thing Hunk was doing. Pidge was on the other side of the chair, leaning her elbows on the desk while smiling at the screen.

"There! Look!" Hunk said enthusiastically, turning to Lance to see his expression.

"It's...a key?" Lance questioned. The laptop screen was undoubtedly showing what looked to be the diagram of a key with a bunch of grid lines and the such behind it, but Lance wasn't sure since it didn't really make much sense to him.

"Not just any key! It's a diagram of a master key! Its purpose is to open any lock in the world, and I'm gonna build it!"

Lance's eyes squinted a bit, not believing anything Hunk was saying. He just went along with it, though, as usual. "Oh. Cool. But...why?"

"To break into houses and rob stuff!" Pidge declared, smiling up at Lance with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"No!" Hunk gasped, looking between them before setting his sights on Pidge scoldingly. "No robbing stuff! We aren't criminals, Pidge!" She rolled her eyes and blew up at her hair as Hunk turned back to Lance. "It's a project for one of my classes. I get to both design and build an authentic master key, but I enlisted Pidge for help because this stuff is really complicated."

"Oh...really?" Lance did his best to sound interested, and it must've worked, because Hunk's eyes lit up as he clasped his hands together in front of his chest.

"Yes, isn't it awesome! I mean, I've always thought the concept of master keys were super cool and awesome, but dangerous, too, you know? But the process has been a major headache because the insides of locks are really just sorta like puzzles, so the key has to be able to fit into every single puzzle, and then it has to be able to push every pin just the right way-"

"Hunk, he gets it. Or rather, he doesn't get it, so you're gonna bore him to death. We don't need to explain the specifics." Pidge interjected, adjusting her glasses just for that extra bit of sass as Hunk simmered down a bit, lowering his hands and smiling sheepishly at Lance.

"Oh. Sorry! I just got really excited, you know?" He laughed before turning back to work on the design on the screen. Pidge leaned forward to point some stuff out to Hunk, and he nodded in response, but to Lance it sounded like they were speaking in a different language.

He watched them work on the key's design for a bit before taking out his phone awkwardly. He wasn't really sure why he was still here since he couldn't contribute to Hunk's school project, and he hadn't even really been needed for cooking the pizza, either.

He tried to tune them out to focus on his phone so that he wouldn't be so uncomfortable when Pidge leaned away from Hunk to speak directly to him.

"So, what do you think of the concept of a master key, Lance? Other than just, 'they're cool'?"

Hunk also turned to give Lance his attention as well, and he suddenly felt put on the spot. He didn't really have any opinion on the subject, just like he didn't have much of an opinion on pizza toppings, because he never had a reason to have an opinion on this stuff. But now they were trying to get him to elaborate, and saying that he didn't know probably wouldn't satisfy them. While he didn't understand why they talked to him still, he didn't want to make them stop talking to him. He didn't really think he could call them or anybody a 'friend', but again, they were his distraction when he wasn't working, and he needed it to stay sane.

"I...I think it sounds impossible," he admitted, watching as Pidge and Hunk exchanged a look. "Or, difficult! Yeah, it sounds difficult!" He corrected himself anxiously, hoping that that answer would meet their expectations.

"It is difficult! But don't you worry, Pidge and I will figure it out and it'll be awesome, you'll see!" Hunk said, grinning with enthusiasm. Pidge nodded in agreement before she went back to talking through the design with Hunk, and Lance sighed, glad that he had managed to diffuse that stressful situation.

The concept still seemed impossible to him. Surely there was no such thing as a key that could open everything? That just sounded silly. After all, there were some things that just couldn't be opened no matter what.

 _Like me_.

Lance blinked at himself in surprise, having not expected to go down that train of thought. It _was_ true, though; he had to admit that.

He switched his phone's camera on so that he could stare at himself, tilting the device to either side to catch every angle of his dull eyes. He knew he was about as locked away as something could get, trapped in a tower of darkness where he could only watch others be happy, _make_ others happy, while he was stuck where he was. It's not like he was complaining, though; he deserved this, after all. But, for just a moment, he wondered if maybe there _was_ a key to his heart somewhere out there.

For just a moment, he hoped there was.

His phone suddenly vibrated twice, snapping him out of his reverie and indicating a new text message. He could see his cheeks turn a light shade of pink in his camera from the dumb, cheesy thoughts he had just been having before he swiped through his phone to his messages. To his surprise, it was a text from Keith.

'Hey, so what's your schedule like? Or, when should I show up tonight to see you?'

Lance took a deep breath, calming himself down from his earlier thoughts before responding. Keeping in contact with a customer was how he assured he made more money, after all.

'I'll take the main stage around 9 pm. Be there or be square, sweetie! ;D'

He didn't have to wait long at all for Keith's reply.

'Squares aren't so bad. I'll be there though!'

Lance couldn't help but giggle when he read Keith's text, hand moving up over his mouth. Normally he giggled all the time just to put on a cute face in public, but right now, he was genuinely laughing from the dorky response. He wondered if he should've expected that from Keith, but then again, he couldn't really know what to expect from him. The only time they spent together was when Keith was super drunk and thus acted very out of character, so there was no telling how things would go if they saw each other tonight. It didn't really matter what happened with Keith, though; as long as Lance got money, he was a happy worker, and as long as Keith got sexual relief, he would be a happy customer. That was how these things went.

He suddenly felt two pairs of eyes on him and looked up to see Hunk and Pidge smiling at him, having seemingly abandoned their work on Hunk's project. Self-consciousness settled into his stomach all at once as he realized he basically just giggled out of the blue and probably looked pretty weird now.

"Um...yes?" He asked, shuffling nervously under their gaze while stuffing his phone back into his pocket and mentally scolding himself.

They looked at each other with a knowing look in their eyes that Lance didn't understand before Hunk pushed his chair back away from the table.

"It's nothing. Say, why don't we check up on the pizza? Gotta make sure it's perfect, otherwise it'll ruin my record." Pidge nodded in agreement and backed up as Hunk stood to leave to the kitchen. "Come on, Lance!"

"Y-yeah," he said, sighing to clear his head before following. Before catching up with Pidge, though, he paused to take one last look at the master key diagram on the laptop screen. He couldn't help but snicker at himself, at how idiotic and delusional he had been earlier, even if it had just been for a moment.

 _A key to my heart_ , he thought, rolling his eyes. _As if_.

***~Keith~***

He could still remember it. The shape of his body pressed against the pole, the look in his blue eyes as he sat on Keith's lap, and the look of surprise when he had asked for his name, all of it was still fresh in Keith's memory...especially the part where Lance gave Keith his number. Unless he was just delusional, Keith was pretty sure the fact that he remembered last night meant he hadn't been drunk. Well, not _completely_ drunk, since he did drink enough to say some very out of character things last night. It wasn't that he didn't like complimenting Lance, but being so direct wasn't normally his thing.

"Ow! Fuck!" Hearing Matt curse brought Keith's attention back to the world of the living, and he looked down at the strawberry-blonde boy who was kneeling by an outlet and tampering with it. "Keith, what the fuck? You're supposed to be grabbing the broken filaments for me."

Keith quickly remembered he was helping Matt replace an outlet and reached forward. "Oh, right. Sorry. You, uh...you good?"

"Yes, I'm fine, Keith." Matt scowled at him before focusing again, making a noise that fell somewhere in between a groan and a sigh. "It's great and all that you're finally not blowing up at every little thing for the first time all month like you're on your period or something, but now you're just out of it. What's up?"

Keith chewed his bottom lip as he watched Matt work on the outlet, mind drifting back to Lance. While he did remember all of those good things, the thing he remembered most was the guilt he felt and still felt over just using Lance to get off. He couldn't get it out of his head.

Honestly, if he wanted to talk to anybody about Lance, it probably made sense to talk to Matt, since he used to work at the Web of Sins and had been the one to suggest going there in the first place.

"I uh...was just thinking about someone-"

Matt immediately forgot everything he was doing and grabbed Keith's shoulders, eyes wide as he shook him. "What?! _Who_?! Oh my god, Shiro is gonna freak! Wait, he's at least cute, right? Where did you two meet?"

The flood of questions came spilling from Matt so quickly that Keith didn't even have a chance to comprehend all of it, nonetheless answer all of it, so he just latched onto the last one.

"We met at the Web of Sins, actua-"

"The _what_?!" Matt shook Keith more until he felt like he was being electrocuted, which was totally possible since they were fumbling with an outlet. "Dude, who? Why? What?"

"Stop it!" Keith wiggled away from Matt's dangerous hands and sighed, letting his knees crumble beneath him so that he was straight up sitting on the floor, trying to decide how to go about this. "...do you know the stripper with the stage name, 'BabyBlue'?"

"WHAT?!" Keith winced at Matt's loud voice, leaning away when he scooted forward to grab Keith again. "You mean Lance?!"

"Stop screaming!" Keith blew up, pushing Matt's hands off of him. It was the engineer's turn to wince and shrink back a bit at Keith's loud voice, gulping apologetically.

"Oops. Aww, and you were doing so well with keeping a check on your temper…"

Keith gave him a glare of 'who's fault do you think this is' before sighing and crossing his arms, only continuing to talk to Matt because he knew Lance. "So then...you do know Lance?"

Matt crossed his legs in a very Shiro-like fashion, rocking back and forth a little. "Hm, yeah, I guess you could say I know him. Or at least, I _knew_ him, sort of, back when I worked at the Web with him. We weren't really close or anything. Although, he did start talking to me more during my last few months working there. He met my sister Katie through me, and they seemed to connect a lot better."

Keith took in this information, not really sure why he was so interested. His mind went back to Lance giving him his number, and he felt his heart pick up in excitement.

"So...Lance, uh...he gave me his number. Do you know why he might do something like that? Do you think he likes me or something? He said he wanted to stay in contact. Why would he want to stay in contact? Does he want to see me again?" Keith rambled off all of his questions before turning to look at Matt expectantly.

"...uh…" Matt rested his hands on his propped out knees, raising an eyebrow at Keith. "Sorry to burst your bubble, man, but, I think he was just exercising stripper etiquette."

Keith's face fell, lips pursing together in confusion. "...'stripper etiquette'? What do you mean?" He was genuinely trying to understand why Lance had given him his number, so it didn't really help when Matt suddenly started laughing at him.

"Oh, man! Wow, you must've been such an easy customer for Lance! Well, even easier than the usual customer. I bet he played you like a fiddle!"

Keith crossed his arms with an extra amount of attitude, eye twitching in annoyance as he watched Matt.

"Most people can't even play fiddles, so I don't know why that expression even exists. And...he didn't play me." Keith spoke slowly, since really, hadn't he been the one to play Lance? Or, at the very least, the one to use him?

Keith's guilt had only grown after sleeping on it, and he just wanted the answers to his questions, but Matt fucking Holt was still just laughing and it was ticking Keith off.

"Would you just answer already?!" He snapped, slamming his fists down onto his knees and cutting off Matt's laughing, leaving the man frozen in a leaning position with his hands around his torso. He blinked in silence for a while before Keith grumbled, reminding him to answer.

"Okay, okay. Hm, I really guess I should be used to you yelling by now…"

"Matt!"

"Oh, right! Okay, what was your question again? Him giving you his number? That's just a strategy used by strippers to keep in contact with their customers, _as_ customers. The idea is that, if someone enjoys you enough, they're sure to come again, and if you text them beforehand, you get them to come specifically to you and get all of their juicy money." Matt closed his eyes with a blissful face for a second, geeking out over the mention of money like the greedy miser he was. "Well, in conclusion, no - you aren't special. You're just a super easy customer."

Keith's brows furrowed in disappointment as he looked to the ground. "Oh." He hadn't meant to sound so neglected, but he couldn't help it as he sighed.

Matt took notice of the change in his voice and leaned his head down, trying to catch Keith's gaze. "Aww, Keith, don't make that face. Shiro will freak out at me if he finds out I made you sad."

"I'm not sad!" Keith shouted, his immediate reaction being to snap. "And Shiro wouldn't freak out at you; you two are dating."

Matt huffed out a puff of air, which ended up blowing onto Keith. He looked back up at him, which was what Matt wanted - only Keith was very annoyed.

"Ah! Sorry, didn't mean to blow air onto you." Matt apologized quickly before clearing his throat. "You know, Keith, I don't think you would want to have anything 'special' with a stripper anyways - especially from the Web. And _especially_ not Lance."

Keith raised an eyebrow at that, observing Matt's face to try and decipher what he meant. "...what do you mean? Why 'especially not Lance'?" He was almost afraid to know the answer as Matt's lips curled in an awkward smile.

"Eh, maybe that was insensitive of me to say, since he's Katie's friend." He laughed a bit at himself. "Well, what I was trying to say was, it'd be difficult to date a stripper from the Web. They're always doing things with other men, usually borderline prostitution, and I just don't think that's a relationship you'd want to deal with."

Keith frowned. "Well what about you? You and Shiro had a relationship while you worked there as a stripper, didn't you?"

"Yeah, you're technically correct, but that was only for a little bit. After we met, Shiro quickly discovered my mechanic skills and found a new job for me, and I didn't have to use my body to make that sweet, sweet money anymore." Matt looked off into the distance with a smile on his face, and Keith could tell he was reminiscing his first days with Shiro. It was sweet and all, but he still had questions, so he interjected. Matt could daydream some other time.

"Hey, _rude_ , don't just drift off on me, man."

"Huh? Oh, sorry!" Matt's face reddened as he bowed his head a bit in apology. "I, uh, where was I? Lance, right? Right! Well, like I said, the men at the Web are gonna be with a ton of men all the time, and that's multiplied even more so when talking about Lance. I don't know if you're aware of this, but Lance is _the_ most popular stripper at the Web. That means he's constantly getting a lot of sexual attention, not to mention all the money…" Matt mumbled that last part, and Keith suddenly began to see why Matt and Lance might've not spoken much. It hadn't even crossed his mind that Lance was someone of that standing, but thinking back, it did make sense. After all, everyone in the club had rushed to see his performance.

A cough from Matt brought Keith's attention back to him. "As I was saying, Lance is a dick magnet, and as a former stripper, I am saying this in the most complimenting way possible, I promise. It isn't like he's a bad person or anything, I'm just giving you this as relationship advice. You shouldn't date a stripper. Like, you specifically."

Keith was actually about to give Matt his thanks for giving him advice, but that last part made him stop and do a double take. "Wait, what do you mean 'me specifically'?!"

Matt shrunk back at his sudden shout. "Well, I'm just saying that you, uh…" He gulped nervously as Keith glared at him. "...I'm just saying that you strike me as the type who...wants a very committed relationship! And seeing your man touch other men would be hard on you - oh my god, not that kind of hard, I'm not saying you would enjoy watching other men touch your boyfriend!"

"That literally didn't even cross my mind, Matt, you fucking _pervert_ -"

"We'll change it to _difficult_! A committed relationship with a stripper would be _difficult_ for someone like you, who looks for commitment!" Matt completely ignored Keith in order to try and salvage the situation that he had made up in his own head.

Keith narrowed his eyes, wishing Matt would just come out and say that he didn't think Keith could manage a relationship with a stripper because he was a temper-freak and would blow up upon seeing another man touch his man. That...that wasn't true. He could do it...he could be better than that...he could support his boyfriend no matter what, even if he was a stripper...

But really, he shouldn't even have to think about any of this since Lance wasn't his boyfriend or anything close to that. Lance was just a stripper...that he was interested in. That was all, and surely that much was okay.

"Matt, calm down. I'm not looking for anything with Lance, nor did I ever even say I was, you just assumed that after I said I met him and was thinking about him."

Matt crossed his arms sassily. "Oh, well _excuse_ me for assuming you were interested in somebody who you were thinking about enough to forget your own existence."

"I didn't forget my own existence!" Keith argued, face heating up for some reason. "I just...look, I was thinking about him, and I am interested in him, but not in that way. I just...I just feel a little guilty, I guess, about using him to get off. You said he was the Web's most popular stripper?"

Matt eyed him suspiciously before sighing, shoulders slumping backwards dramatically. "Yes, Keith, that's what I said. Thanks for letting me know you were listening. He's the Web's best and most popular stripper, and it's been that way ever since he dropped out of school to work there."

Keith's eyes widened upon hearing that bombshell drop, immediately placing both of his hands on Matt's shoulders and looking him straight in the eyes. "What do you mean he 'dropped out of school to work there'?"

The sudden demand left Matt jumping in surprise, but Keith was determined to know more and held the older boy firmly in place. "I, uh...don't know? I mean, I only ever talked to him a little. I know he dropped out of school because he mentioned it at one point or something, and it was like the only quality I had to remember him by other than him being the most popular stripper...not to mention his crazy psycho ex, and I think Katie once mentioned he had family issues? But I - ah!" Matt shouted mid-sentence as Keith shook him lightly, leaning in closer with intrigued and serious eyes.

"What? Wait, hold on, this is a ton of information to take in at once. You're telling me he had a psycho ex?"

Matt visibly froze up at this, eyes widening as if he had said something he regretted. Keith shook him some more, hoping to probe more answers out of him.

"Ah! Hey! I don't know, okay? Just forget it! I mean, I don't even know Lance, so, I don't know what I'm saying!"

They stared each other down for a bit before Keith sighed and accepted that answer, gripping Matt's shoulders harder. "Okay, that's fair, I guess. But what about his family issues?"

"I said that I just heard that from Katie, remember? For all I know it was just a prank, which is very possible knowing Katie…"

Keith shook him more. "Okay, but what did you hear? What did she say?"

"Oh my god, _dude_ , I don't _know_!" Matt grabbed Keith's hands and lifted them away from his shoulders, scooting away to focus back on the forgotten outlet. "Look, I may have worked alongside Lance for a while, but I do not know all the nitty gritty details about his personal life and why he ended up working there. If you're that into him, why don't you just go ask him yourself?"

With the way Matt said it, Keith assumed it was supposed to be sarcasm, but the thought of talking to Lance about this stuff was certainly appealing. Keith did already text Lance that morning, after all, and last night, he had told himself he would go again, since he still needed to make it up to him for using him… 

Matt's phone suddenly rang, briefly bringing Keith out of his thoughts as he watched. "Hello? Shiro? Oh my god, you couldn't have called me at a better time!" Matt exclaimed, eyes lighting up with joy before side-eyeing Keith. "Yeah, so, Kashi, your 'little bro' won't fucking leave me alone, maybe try to control him? Have you thought about using a leash? Wait, actually, no trying a leash on him until we try out that kink first!" Keith's nose wrinkled in disgust as Matt laughed, probably from some comedic response Shiro had given him. Still, he had to admit it was cute seeing the two of them as a close couple. It sort of made Keith long for something like it. Just sort of. He didn't have time for a relationship, though, since he was focused on studying to become a pediatrician. 

"You're a godsend. I'll be right there. Love you!" Matt hung up and stared at his phone screen adoringly for a second or two before standing up and walking past Keith. "Shiro gave me an excuse to leave you so you could stop pestering me, so I'm off." 

Keith scowled, arms crossing as he also stood up. "You could at least _use_ the excuse instead of _saying_ you were given one." 

Matt shrugged in indifference, head turning to look over his left shoulder with a grin. "Whatevs, your break would've been up in five minutes anyways, I guess. Still, that's five minutes too much for me. You know, you can be a lot to handle, yeesh. I'm gonna go warm up in my Takashi's arms now. Bye bye, weirdo!" He waved and turned to leave, but stopped himself for a second time. 

Oh...and, Keith? Don't feel guilty. Lance was literally just doing his job, so, yeah." 

He knew it might've been foolish to feel guilty, but he couldn't help it. Even if it was Lance's job to do stuff with other men, that didn't mean Keith could use that as an excuse to use him. It wasn't okay for him to do it just because other men did it. 

That said, he did want to see Lance again - that much was certain. He couldn't get his mind off of him, whether it be due to Lance's body or Keith's guilt. 

He made up his mind, taking out his phone and texting Lance. 

'Hey, so what's your schedule like? Or, when should I show up tonight to see you?' 

He took a deep breath, leaning against the wall for support. No going back now. He was all in. 

His phone buzzed rather quickly, alerting him of a text. 

'I'll take the main stage around 9 pm. Be there or be square, sweetie! ;D' 

Well, he hadn't had to wait long at all for Lance's reply. That was a good sign - although Lance was most likely just acting on stripper etiquette or whatever. That didn't stop him from being cute, though. 

Wanting to make sure he matched Lance's texting speed, Keith replied back with whatever came to his head first. 

'Squares aren't so bad. I'll be there though!' 

Like any sane person, Keith immediately regretted his entire life after sending that. Like...what the actual fuck? 'Squares aren't so bad'? He was cringing at himself so badly that he actually sunk down to the floor against the wall, wanting to beat himself with a baseball bat when Lance didn't reply. Why was he so bad with people? 

...he just hoped Lance didn't run away from him when he went to see him tonight, now. Because he was going to go see him. And honestly...he was a little excited for it.

*** 

Keith arrived at the Web at 9 pm sharp, for some reason feeling the need to be as punctual as possible. The bouncer checked him in quickly, only asking for the night entrance fee since he recognized Keith from the night before.

t made him slightly uncomfortable that the bouncer remembered him, since he didn't exactly want to be remembered as a regular customer to a strip club, but that probably wasn't something he would have to worry about. After all, he wasn't planning on making this a regular thing. He just wanted to see Lance again, not for sexual reasons, but just to talk to him and make it up to him for last time. 

Speaking of Lance, he could already see the slender man trekking across the stage as the lights in the club went blue. Keith quickly realized he hadn't been nearly punctual enough as he stared at the massive crowd hugging the stage, cheering for the most popular stripper. 

Shit. Of course he should've arrived at least a few minutes beforehand if he wanted a decent view, but he just really disliked the idea of hanging around a strip club for no reason, so he had waited until the exact time. 

The music was already starting, this time a poppier, more upbeat song, and while Keith could still see Lance moving his body up against the pole, he could barely make out his smile from where he was standing. That was a problem. Keith wanted to see Lance's smile and maybe even get his attention, so he started pushing his way through the crowd just like he had the night before. 

For whatever reason, it seemed much harder to convince the men to move aside for him than it had been last time, so he settled on a somewhat nearby spot where he could make out Lance's same sweet smile that he always wore and watched as he held onto the pole while dancing around it several feet from the ground. 

Lance's body movements were as mesmerizing as ever as he did a splits in midair while rolling his body forward. He was the perfect mix of athleticism and sexiness, and even though Keith didn't plan to come here to ogle at him, that was exactly what he was doing right now as Lance twirled around the pole with his legs constantly moving and showing off their slender muscle. 

He wasn't sure what it was about the way Lance moved, but for some reason, it felt like he was dancing just for Keith...again. He wondered if every man in the crowd felt like that - if Lance's dancing just had that effect on everybody who laid eyes on him. He wouldn't be surprised if that were the case - Lance was incredible, and there were few other words Keith could think of to describe his dancing. 

He was so wrapped up in watching Lance twist and pull himself around the pole that it took him a while to realize that he wasn't wearing his blue attire, but rather, a set of lacier black lingerie pieces. Keith thought he was beautiful no matter what he was wearing, though; appreciating the dance while trying to calm the exciting thought of getting to talk to him afterwards. 

Since the song was more upbeat than the one from yesterday, Lance was able to show off his ability to move around quickly, his legs spreading apart and then twisting him around the pole before holding him upside down all within the span of several seconds. Saying Keith was impressed would be an understatement, and he practically just stared with his mouth parted slightly throughout the entire performance. 

The dance seemed to come to an end as quickly as it had begun, and the loud cheering from all around Keith drowned out his senses as he winced and ducked through the crowd. He still wasn't ready to say pole dancing was something he was a big fan of, since he was only watching to support Lance, but he couldn't deny that it was definitely more of a talent than he had thought. 

"Thank you so much! You're so sweet!" Keith perked up at the sound of Lance's voice, not even sure how he managed to hear it as he watched Lance accepting money from the men at the front of the stage. 

Since the dance was over, Keith figured he would find a seat at the bar counter while waiting for Lance. He knew that he would eventually start roaming the club looking for customers, so Keith would call him over when he saw him. 

"Hey," Keith greeted the mustached bartender, somehow remembering that Lance had called him by 'Coran'. 

Coran gave Keith an optimistic smile, always incredibly cheery for a man working in a strip club. "What's this? Back again? Might I interest you in a drink? The same as yesterday, perhaps?" 

Dread settled into Keith's stomach, and he gave a curt nod so that he could wallow in his own regret and despair. Why did all of these people have to remember him so well? Seriously, he did _not_ want to be known as a regular customer here. 

"Hey there, cutie." Keith snapped out of his thoughts and quickly turned to look at Lance. To his surprise, however, the man standing before him was a different stripper - one who lacked the honey-sweet smile that Lance usually wore. "So, how has your night been?" 

Keith gulped, having not expected this turn of events as the man sat down next to him and made an effort to show off his ass in his striped panties. 

"It's, uh...it's been going pretty alright," Keith said awkwardly, watching as the man shifted again in his seat to show off his crotch. Man, he was _really_ trying to sell his junk, wasn't he? It was so different from Lance, who, upon first meeting Keith, had approached him with his fun-loving personality as opposed to showing off his body. 

"That's good! I'll admit, personally, the night's been pretty boring for me." The stripper leaned against the counter, smiling at Keith in a totally suggestive way and just staring, like he was waiting for Keith to say something. 

"...I see." Keith was only replying for the sake of not wanting to come across as rude, unsure of what was acceptable to say to a stripper and what wasn't. He _seriously_ needed to look into strip club etiquette more...but, not really, because it wasn't like he was planning on coming back here or anything. 

When it became clear Keith wasn't going to say anything more, the stripper tried leaning towards him. "Maybe you can make it more entertaining for me?" 

If Keith had been awkward before, now he was just uncomfortable. This man was literally trying to get Keith to let him touch him for money, and while Keith understood that strippers needed money, too, he wasn't the type of guy who fancied that type of thing. That was why he came back here in the first place, to make it up to Lance for using him. 

"Um…" 

"Here you are!" To his relief, Coran broke the tension as he set a drink down in front of Keith with a wink. "Now pay up!" 

Keith attempted to take the distraction, but the stripper was determined to stay relevant and pulled out some money from his panties. 

Here, why don't I pay for your drink, mister?" 

"What?" Keith looked up in shock, wondering if this man was seriously that desperate to get Keith's attention. Why on Earth would he let him pay for his drink? "No, I…" He didn't even decide to finish his sentence as he took out his own money and quickly passed it forward to Coran before taking his drink. Honestly, this was too much for him. Strip clubs really just weren't his type of thing. 

He hoped that the stripper would at least leave him alone after that rejection, but they seemed incredibly persistent to the point where it was sort of creepy.

"I'll take a drink, too, then! After all, drinks are always more fun together, and I wouldn't want to leave you here all by yourself." 

"He isn't by himself." Keith turned to see Lance smirking at the two of them, hand resting on his hip with attitude. "He's with me." A heavy wave of relief rushed through Keith as the other man looked between them. 

"Yeah. I was waiting for him." Keith confirmed. 

The stripper's face wrinkled a bit as he cast Lance a disdainful look that stood out to Keith. Then, without even a word of departure, he got up and left, leaving just the two of them. 

Lance took his place next to Keith, smile as wide as ever as he acted like none of that had just happened. "So, did you watch my performance? How was I?" 

They weren't even particularly close or anything, but for whatever reason, Keith's heart was bursting with joy at getting to talk to Lance again as he reflected his smile. 

"Is that even a question? You were amazing!" 

Lance giggled at his response, and Keith couldn't help but blush in self-conscious embarrassment. He wasn't even mildly drunk this time, yet he was _still_ just complimenting Lance. 

"Aw, thanks! I guess it helps to have a body like mine, don't you think?" Lance shifted in his seat, putting his elbows on the counter so that he could display his lean body for Keith. 

A wave of red crept up Keith's face, and he quickly brought his drink to his lips to hide his blush. The problem wasn't that Lance was pretty much naked, since everybody in this strip club was pretty much naked - the problem was that Lance's body was super sexy and his face was super pretty, and Keith had already received a blowjob from him before so now he couldn't help but notice all of Lance's attractive features. 

"Yeah...I guess." Keith laughed nervously, averting his eyes away from Lance's body and clearing his throat to change the subject. "So...about that other stripper. What was that about?" 

Lance chuckled, amused by his reaction. "What do you mean 'what was that about'? What were you expecting? Of course others are going to come talk to you if you sit at the bar looking all lonely like that! Especially since you're very good looking." He leaned closer, making Keith's heart rate increase rapidly. "But you're _my_ customer." 

Those words sent fireworks off inside of Keith, for some reason enjoying the thought of being 'Lance's customer' much more than he probably should have. However, that hadn't been what he meant when he asked about the other stripper. 

"No, I meant...they gave sort of a weird look before they left?" He explained, taking another sip of his drink. 

Lance's face dropped for a brief second, but as usual, he immediately recovered with his classic smile. "Oh, that. He was probably just mad that I was 'stealing' his customer. Little did he know that you were always mine." He winked at Keith, succeeding in getting his face to flush even more, before peeking at his empty cup. "Looks like you're all done. Want me to buy you another drink?" Lance reached into his thong, but Keith immediately threw his hands up in front of him in alarm. 

"W-what? No! You don't need to do that!" 

Lance raised an eyebrow at his reaction before giggling and gently shoving Keith's arm - a gesture that basically fried Keith's systems. "You're...so cute!" He laughed, hand in front of his mouth, and god, Keith was sure his face must've looked like one giant tomato. Good thing the lights overhead would help cancel out his blushing that just kept growing as he listened to Lance laugh. "It's pretty normal to buy drinks for our customers, you don't have to think anything of it! Honestly, always such a newbie." 

Keith just blushed more upon being called a newbie, getting embarrassed rather than offended. Were they comfortable enough with each other to be making sarcastic insults like that now? 

...were they comfortable enough with each other for Keith to ask Lance the questions he'd been asking Matt? 

Sure, his main reason for coming here had been to see Lance again and to just spend time with him as a way to make up for using him last night, but at the same time, he really did want to know more about him. It was just as he had told Matt - he was interested in Lance. 

"So...I was wondering a couple of things," Keith started slowly, not wanting to scare Lance off. He didn't need all the small personal details that he had been asking Matt; he was just interested in why Lance had chosen to work here. 

Lance raised an eyebrow, resting his chin in his hands. "Oh? Like what? Wondering if I'd like to go further than I did last night?" He scooted forward flirtatiously, making Keith's face heat up. 

"N-no! I just, uh...wanted to ask you something?" 

Lance paused, observing Keith's flustered face for a good while before giving him some space. "Ask away!" 

Keith took a moment to calm himself, silently cursing Lance for being able to get him so flustered so easily. "I was just wondering what it was like working here? For you, I mean." 

He wasn't sure how far it was okay to push, but Lance didn't seem to have a problem with his question as he just smiled and shrugged. "I'd say it's different for everyone who works here. Personally, I like what I do. I get to show my stuff off and do things I'm good at for money. And, you know, I don't mean to brag, but being as popular as I am really has its perks." 

Keith nodded along to what Lance said, although on the inside he was a bit doubtful. He just couldn't relate to wanting to show off his body for money, nonetheless let others touch him for it. 

"I guess...I mean, you _are_ a good dancer, that's for sure." Keith grinned, awkwardly complimenting Lance again without even realizing it. 

Lance batted his eyelashes appreciatively. "Aw, thanks! I enjoy dancing and being able to provide relief to others. I'm an entertainer, you know? It's what I do. And this place, the Web of Sins I mean, it's the perfect club for me. It lacks morals, just like me." He winked at Keith, clearly intending to be seductive, but Keith just found his last statement repulsive, a small frown carving its way onto his face. 

Hearing Lance talk about providing relief to others made Keith think back to the other night when Lance had said he was used to people using him, and he felt the same feeling of pity and sorrow in his chest from then, like he was watching an animal that had lost its ability to walk. 

He wanted to say something, to maybe ask Lance what he enjoyed about working here, but any semblance of a meaningful conversation was cut short as a pair of giggling drunk men stumbled to the counter just left of him and Lance, making far too much noise as they called Coran over. And as if that wasn't bad enough for the mood Keith was trying to set, the song broadcasting in the club changed suddenly from pop music to rock. 

The Web of Sins was generally a much nicer looking place than Keith would expect from a strip club, but that didn't change the fact that it was still occupied by men looking to have sex for money. The place could've been lined in fancy red linen with draping ribbons adorning the walls and Keith still would've felt uncomfortable being here. 

He sighed, looking down at his empty cup. "It would be a lot easier if we could just talk outside of this place…" Keith muttered to himself, trying not to look over at the borderline naked men sitting next to them. 

He hadn't expect Lance to hear him, and definitely hadn't expected him to lean forward with a twinkle in his eyes. "Outside of this place, did you say? Is that an invitation?" 

Keith felt his heart leap into his throat as he turned to look at Lance's grinning face in surprise, not quite sure how to answer. It hadn't exactly been an invitation on his end, but...it sounded like Lance was inviting him now. Was he just imagining it? Was he misinterpreting his words? 

"Well? Were you inviting me out of here? Because that sounds real fun to me." Lance giggled, looking at Keith expectantly. 

Okay, so he _was_ asking Keith out. 

Keith's face was heating up in disbelief and embarrassment, still processing the situation. He couldn't believe that Lance was the one offering for him to take him out, since his impression of the dancer had been that he wasn't all that interested in the more vanilla stuff. But alas, here he was, offering to go out with Keith somewhere. 

Lance was still just watching him patiently, and Keith realized he was taking too long to answer. "Oh! Uh...I mean, yeah! That sounds awesome!" He said clumsily, a wide smile spreading on his face. The other uncomfortably drunk men next to them didn't even matter to Keith now as he accepted, confirming their 'date'. 

"Alright, then," Lance said seductively. "But since you're new to all this stuff, I might as well warn you, it isn't cheap to take me out. It'll be about worth the same as the champagne room visit, only we'll be having more fun." 

Keith rose an eyebrow at that. Worth the same as the champagne room visit? Lance must've been expecting Keith to take him somewhere good. He made a mental note to ask Shiro for advice on good restaurants when he got home. 

Speaking of home, now that he had confirmed a 'date' with Lance and had a better way to make it up to him now, Keith figured it was time he left. He'd rather not stay in a strip club and allow more people to remember him. "I'm glad we could talk like this. Uh...what time? And should I come get you, or..." 

Lance giggled lightly. "I don't think I'm supposed to be the one scheduling this stuff. I don't do this type of thing regularly, but I can get off work around 11 if you'd like that." 

Keith's heart was beating faster at hearing Lance say this wasn't a regular thing. So then...he was giving Keith special treatment or something? The thought made him happy, for some reason, and even though 11 was a little late for a date, he would take it. 

"Sure! Yes, that works. Awesome." He agreed, smiling. His smile faltered when the men next to them began to make out loudly, making their presence known to him once again. The sight made him want to leave even faster. "It's been a pleasure talking to you, Lance. I'll see you tomorrow?" 

Lance blinked in surprise at him. "Leaving so soon? But we haven't even gotten to do anything yet." He smiled seductively and began moving forward. 

Keith gulped and took a deep breath before standing up. Even though he hated the thought of just using someone, Lance was so cute and hot and tempting that it drove Keith crazy. "I really should get going. We'll see each other tomorrow, after all, right?" He grinned, not wanting to be rude, especially not to Lance. 

Lance looked him over for a second before returning his grin and winking at him. "Alright. See you tomorrow for some fun, cutie." 

A blush crept up Keith's face - something that seemed to happen often when he was with Lance. "Right. Tomorrow." 

He turned to leave the Web, still in disbelief over what just happened. He definitely hadn't come here thinking he'd be going on a date with Lance, and definitely hadn't expected for Lance to be the one to ask. 

Matt's warnings of being with a stripper briefly echoed in his head, but he ignored it. After all, it wasn't like this was anything official. He was just going to go out somewhere with Lance. This was just him making up for using Lance last night - that was why he accepted the invitation to take him out. 

This didn't mean anything. This wouldn't lead to anything. 

Surely, there was no harm in just getting to know Lance a little. 


	4. Escort and Customer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so, SO sorry for how long this took to update. I don't have an excuse. I mean, I sort of do because I was trying to get Kinktober done on time, and then like halfway through writing this I decided I needed to add in an extra scene in this chapter so I did that, and, yeah, I know, not excusable. I'M SORRY! But now that it's November, I plan to update faster. At the very least, it hopefully won't be a 2 week wait between every chapter! Anyways, hope you enjoy and I hope it was worth the wait!

"Go down on it, just like that, fuck yeah! That's a good boy!"

The vulgar words slipping from the larger man's mouth were nothing new to Lance as he kneeled in between his legs, moving his head up and down his cock and burying his nose in the nest of brown pubic hair with each forward bob. His tongue expertly maneuvered against the shaft as it passed through his mouth, moaning around the length of it to stimulate vibrations.

"Fuck, service your master, you slut!" The man grabbed a hold of Lance's hair, pulling him up and down his length while thrusting forward. His fingers curled around the brown locks harder and harder to signify that he was getting closer to finishing, threatening to leave Lance with a bald spot the size of an apple as words like 'fuck' and 'slut' rolled off of his tongue like dice.

Lance simply keened to the rough treatment, curving his back so that the man could get a better view of him shaking his ass obediently.

"Get ready for it, you slut!" Lance's head was yanked back harshly, making him cry out with satisfaction. The man let his cock lay on top of Lance's face, gripping his own shaft and pumping a few times before cumming with a roar.

The hand in his hair tightened, but Lance hardly needed the instruction. He opened his mouth wide and let his tongue hang out, eyes shrinking until they were nearly shut but not quite, preparing for the shots of cum that began spraying onto his face accompanied by a messy cluster of dirty names from the man's mouth.

It was like getting blasts of hot glue to the face, sticky globs of white marking his cheek and mouth as he took the facial like the slut he was. This was more like it. This was how it should be. This was what time in a private room with Lance should be like - vulgar and dirty and detached. He was a worker and a tool for his customers, after all; he wasn't _supposed_ to be treated like an equal human. He wasn't _supposed_ to be treated the way Keith had treated him...

"There's your tip, you good whore." The man tossed money onto Lance's cum covered face as he stood and began zipping up his pants, leaving Lance to bend down and pick up the money in his mouth like an animal eating off the floor, still putting on a show for the man. Once he gathered the paper bills in his mouth, he looked up at his customer with a smile and fluttered his eyes.

"Thank you, sir," he said obediently, lowering his head as the man chuckled and leaned forward to cup his chin.

"Aww, you're always so good for me, baby. Come on, don't look down. I wanna see your face covered in my spunk. Mmm...wish I could take a picture, I'd make a fortune with that cute face."

"No photos in the Strip Club." Lance recited the club's rules immediately out of instinct, always having to do this for the drunk men who wanted to take pictures of his cum-covered face.

The man chuckled and slapped his cheek lightly before straightening his back again. "I know the Web's rules, babe. Next time, it'll be your ass, though. Ha!" He walked off with a laugh, leaving Lance kneeling on the floor naked.

Lance didn't mind. He was used to this, and honestly, he preferred it like this. He didn't know why he had started thinking about the way Keith treated him in the middle of servicing his customer, since Keith had only been like that because he was drunk. Hell, he didn't know why he was thinking about it at all. He would see Keith in just a few hours to have sex, after all. His mind was probably on the guy just because Lance didn't take escort jobs too often. There was no way he could reject Keith, though; the guy seemed like _very_ easy money for Lance.

He opened a drawer in the private room, taking out a towel to wipe the cum from his face as he looked over the extra money the man had provided him for doing a good job. Tips were great - they were extra money and let him know he was still doing his job well. He couldn't live with himself if he ever started to slack off. After all, this was what he was here to do.

Once he was done cleaning up, he left the private room to continue his dancing and flirting for the day, running into plenty of men who wanted to visit the private room with him. He denied all requests for anal sex, though, sticking solely to blowjobs since he had an escort job soon. Sure, Lance was more than capable of taking it up the ass multiple times in one night, but he couldn't be sure how rough Keith was going to get with him since they would be having sex outside of the club, meaning there'd be no rules or limitations. Keith would be able to do whatever he wanted to Lance, so he had to make sure he could give it his everything. He always gave sex his everything.

The rest of the work night went by rather quickly since he was only offering mouth services, much to the displeasure of some of his regular customers. They always forgave Lance after a round of blowjobs from him, though; they always did. Lance knew he was good at what he did, and he intended to always be good at what he did, so he blocked out thoughts of Keith for the rest of the night and focused completely on his current customers.

He finished up earlier than usual, as was pretty standard for the rare times where he accepted escort jobs, and quickly put on extra clothing. The panties stayed on beneath his pants, though, since he knew Keith would like to see them once they got naked. He also grabbed a bottle of lube and some condoms on the way out, just in case Keith 'forgot' or tried to con him into letting him take him without protection. Lance may be a slut, but he wasn't about to risk getting sexual infections since he needed a body that could healthily partake in sex to make money.

Once he finished readying himself up in the employee's bathroom, he made for the door while checking his phone to see a text from Keith announcing his arrival. Sure enough, as soon as he exited the building, he saw Keith leaning against a sweet red sports car with his arms crossed, as if he was trying to look cool or something.

Lance couldn't help but giggle, putting his phone away and observing the scene. He wasn't an expert on cars, but Keith's vehicle was visually stunning, the metal a glistening shade of ruby red with lion-esque designs displayed on the body. As for the man himself, he was dressed very fancily, as in a full on black dress shirt that even came with a red tie and black pants. He was either trying way too hard, or he was just rich. Lance was normally very good at telling whether a customer had money or not, and his first impression of Keith hadn't been anything special, but maybe he was wrong. Whatever the case, Keith was probably one of the more attractive customers Lance had worked with, so that was a plus. He put on his sweetest smile and approached, finally getting Keith to notice him.

"Oh, hey! Didn't even see you there!" Keith greeted, face livening up at the sight of Lance.

"Here I am!" Lance stopped in front of him with a hand on his hip, looking him over again now that he was up close. "You look like an everyday high class businessman! I like it!"

Keith chuckled, looking down at himself. "Really? Well, I don't think I'm quite ready to handle Galra Pharmacies just yet, heh. You look amazing as always, yourself!"

Lance moved in closer to his customer, smile widening. "Aww, thanks! I do my best. I'm not sure if I can measure up to this beauty over here, though." He gestured towards Keith's car with a playful laugh.

"She's a beauty, isn't she...were you planning to drive yourself out? Or did you wanna come with me? I could take you for a spin in her." Keith winked at his car, and Lance was beginning to see that he was one of _those_ guys - the type to obsess over cars and stuff like that. He wasn't going to judge or anything, since a customer was a customer; he was just taking note.

"Sounds perfect!" Lance agreed, having no qualms with hopping into the car of a stranger even though he had a car of his own nearby that he could take. Whenever he took a job, he went all the way, meaning his customer could do whatever they wanted with him. If Keith was demanding he get in his car, then he would get in his car. Anything to please him.

He began walking around the back of the car to the shotgun door, but Keith made it there first, clearing his throat and opening the door.

"Here you are!" he said, looking more smiley than normal.

Lance hesitated, looking on in uncertainty and confusion as Keith held the door open. Why was he...no, he was just eager for Lance to get in the car. Lance must've been taking too long and making him impatient. It made sense. Keith must be the type to prefer moving quickly. Lance would have to keep that in mind as he slid into the car seat and let Keith shut the door before he rushed to the driver's seat.

Lance was still just learning what type of person Keith was, but that still wasn't an excuse for already starting to make him impatient. He would have to make up for it when they had sex. Good thing he had made the decision to keep his ass completely untouched for the night all for Keith.

As soon as Keith was in, they pulled out from the club and hit the road. "What kind of music do you like? You can put on anything you want." He offered.

Lance rose an eyebrow at Keith, trying to read him. Music? Anything he wanted? What was...oh. Keith was trying to test him.

"I'm good, thanks," Lance said, adding extra sugar to his voice as he rested his hands in his lap. He was usually very good at determining a man's character, but Keith was surprisingly difficult to read. The first time they'd really spent time together, Keith had been drunk, but now that he was sober, Lance had to stay alert at all times to try and figure out the meaning behind his unpredictable words. The sooner they got to having sex, the better. That was what Lance was here for.

"If you're sure." Keith fiddled with his radio until jazz music started playing, and it looked more like he simply settled for it rather than actually wanting to listen to it.

Lance kept silent and let the music fill the quiet in the car, figuring this was a situation where he shouldn't speak unless spoken to. He just kept his eyes on the dark road ahead and leaned back into his seat, briefly wondering what kind of hotel they would be going to but not really caring. There was always the off chance that his customer could secretly be a serial killer when it came to these types of flings, since Lance didn't work with an escort agency, but he didn't spend time worrying about that usually. He was just concentrated on completing his job. Plus, he generally only took jobs for regular customers. Keith was an exception because, well, he seemed easy. Lance was confident he could make him into a regular.

Keith suddenly gasped and briefly glanced over at Lance before turning back to the road. "Oh my god! I didn't even ask you if you were okay with going where I had planned! Shit, sorry if I'm sorta bad at this, it's been a while...um, I was thinking of going to a restaurant? I know it's late, but you've probably been working all night without eating, so I thought it'd be nice. Does that sound alright with you?"

Confusion settled into Lance as he stared at Keith rambling on. A restaurant? Keith wanted to take him out to eat? This was most certainly not the direction Lance had been expecting the night to take. He wasn't an experienced escort, but he knew that these types of jobs often lumped together company with sex, so it just meant Keith wanted to eat together before going somewhere to fuck Lance. When working in the sex field like this, everything was about completing his customer's fantasies, and often times, those fantasies included just normal things like having company at a restaurant.

Lance just hadn't expected this type of thing since he normally just had sex and that was it...but this was fine, too. If the customer was looking for him to give company before they had sex, then that just meant Lance would get even more money, and he couldn't complain about that. Sure, Lance hated restaurants, and it was probably going to be awkward eating with Keith like this, but he could sweet talk his way through the night until it was time to have sex, which was where Lance could truly shine. Besides, it was what his customer wanted; Lance wasn't going to argue.

He took a moment to recompose himself before smiling. "Oh, if that's what you want! Sounds like you've planned for tonight to be even more fun than I thought!" He winked just for that extra charm.

Keith glanced at him again for confirmation. "If you say so. I uh...wanted to make it up to you for last time, so...that's what this is about. Just to clear things up."

Lance was stunned into confusion once again, but quickly caught on to what Keith meant. "Oh! You mean about the blowjob in the private room!" He couldn't help but giggle as Keith's face reddened. So the man was still hung up over not going further with Lance that night, after all, and was going to make up for it by fucking him tonight. "Well, if you really want to make up for it, I trust you're going to make it worth both of our whiles. Assuming you told the truth about not being a virgin," Lance teased.

Keith pursed his lips together, but kept his eyes on the road. "I'm not a virgin, I told you! That's not important, anyways!"

Lance just giggled more as Keith groaned. He wasn't being scolded for his teasing behavior, so he figured Keith liked him being a brat and would use it as a reason to punish Lance later when they were in the bedroom.

Keith let out a huff of air. "Moving on...I was thinking we could go to Garrett's Grill? It's pretty first rate as far as restaurants go, and it's open until pretty late, so I thought it'd be perfect. Are you okay with that?"

Lance's eyes widened a bit at the mention of Garrett's Grill, AKA Hunk's family restaurant. He knew Hunk usually worked pretty late shifts, so there was probably a good chance of running into him. That was fine. Hunk knew what Lance did, anyways, so it didn't matter to him if he was seen. Besides, it wasn't about to argue with Keith. He would go wherever the customer wanted.

"Of course I am! You don't need to keep asking me!" He giggled, finding it strange how Keith kept asking him for confirmation on where to go. There was a bit of adrenaline in him because of how unusual this situation was, but Lance was confident he could make it through the night. He just hoped the dinner portion of this job went by quickly so they could get to having sex.

The jazz music filled up most of the silence until they made it to the restaurant, pulling into the driveway and parking in front of the large, white building. In the front center at the very top, there was a sun-shaped sign with the words 'Garrett's Grill' written in fancy calligraphy. Lance didn't come here often since he didn't enjoy eating food that was too fatty, but he was familiar with it. Hunk and Pidge had dragged him here once or twice before, and of course he had only agreed so that they wouldn't stop putting up with him.

"Coming?" Keith's voice brought Lance's attention to his right, where his door had been opened for him. Apparently Keith had gotten out while he had been busy observing the building.

"Oh, yeah, apologies." He lowered his head a bit and quickly stepped out, remembering that Keith wasn't the type of person to condone slow behavior. He quickened his pace, keeping just behind Keith's shoulder. When he opened the restaurant door and stepped to the side, Lance stayed behind him until Keith spoke.

"...after you." He gestured with his hand that wasn't on the door, and Lance realized he was holding it open for him to go in.

"...you're so sweet." He poked Keith's chest playfully as he walked in, swinging his hips enticingly, but on the inside, he was wary. This whole situation was very strange.

Keith followed him in, and Lance paused to let him lead the way again, following just behind his shoulder as they stood in line and waited to be emitted and seated. As the distance between them and the host grew shorter, Lance could see Hunk behind the front counter. So he was working the front tonight, after all.

Hunk smiled politely at the people in front of them and got a waiter to show them to their table before his eyes met Lance's, and his face brightened. Lance's insides twisted a bit, because being here with Keith was already strange enough, but he put on his same sweet smile for the sake of appearances.

"Lance!" Hunk greeted, beaming as he and Keith walked up to the counter. "It's so good to see you! I wasn't expecting this!"

Lance laughed out of habit. "It's good to see you, too, Hunk! Nice to see you're running the front of the restaurant."

"Yeah, you know me, I always want to help make sure my mom doesn't have too much going on, even if being in the kitchen is what I love most about working here. Oh!" Hunk turned to Keith, as if only just noticing him. "Hello! My name's Hunk Garrett, friend of Lance's. Who're you?"

He held his hand out, and Keith wasted no time in shaking it, smiling politely. "I'm Keith, it's nice to meet you!"

After they shook hands, Hunk just stared at them for a while, eyes flickering back and forth from Lance to Keith with a huge smile. "So...I'm guessing table for two? I'm pretty sure we have an open one."

Keith nodded and thanked Hunk as a waiter came to show them to their seat. Hunk briefly stopped Lance before they left, whispering to him. "Sorry we can't talk much, but we probably shouldn't hold up the line. You _have_ to fill me in on everything, though! Enjoy your night!"

Lance cringed on the inside, but nodded at Hunk before following Keith to their table. He was 1000% sure Hunk was misinterpreting the situation, but he could deal with that later. Right now, he had to focus on his job.

He and Keith sat opposite each other at a decently sized table, white fabric draped over the top with a glass in the middle that held peppermint candies. Keith was quick to open his menu, but Lance didn't bother. Having been here before, he knew there was only one thing for him to get that wouldn't have major consequences for his body shape. But of course, Keith didn't know that.

"You okay?" He looked up from his menu with a look that Lance couldn't quite name, but it made him feel smaller; it made him feel like curling in on himself.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine! I'm just waiting to order," he explained. They looked each other in the eyes for a bit before Keith nodded and went back to his own menu, giving Lance a chance to breathe. He wasn't sure why that look in Keith's eyes bothered him so much, but it did. It was...different. It was something he wasn't used to.

Their waiter came to take their orders just a minute or so later, bringing with her two glasses of water. Lance just requested the Garrett's Grill Salad, since he couldn't touch anything else from their menu, and once the waiter wrote everything down and left, it was just him and Keith again. Escort and Customer.

"So, you're friends with the guy up front?" Keith asked, taking a sip from his glass.

Lance tilted his head down in a brief nod. "Yeah. I know him." _Calling us friends might be a bit far-fetched, though_.

"He seemed nice. Maybe you could get us a discount." Keith laughed, and Lance joined in weakly, feeling very out of his element.

In the Web of Sins, Lance was very much the center of attention, the main attraction. If the club was an actual web then he was the spider, catching people and playing into their desires. He could handle his customers like a spider handles her prey.

Outside of the Web, though, things were different. Sure, he and Keith were eventually going to have sex, but that was later. Right now, he was treading in unfamiliar territory. The only times he ate out was with Pidge and Hunk, and he felt just as awkward being with them as he did right now. Of course, he also had some experience eating out from when _he_ was there for Lance, but...that wasn't...that was during a different time in his life...

"...Lance?" Keith's voice snapped him out of his reverie, sweat collecting against his forehead from the brief memories he'd conjured.

He took a deep breath, calming himself down as the waiter returned with his salad. "Hunk informed the chefs ahead of time that you'd want this," she explained. Lance nodded with a small smile.

"Thank you." He lifted his glass of water to his lips, washing down the flashbacks that had briefly appeared in his head. He noticed Keith watching him with yet another unfamiliar expression. "...yes?"

"I was just wondering...do you remember last night, when I said I wanted to ask you something?" He asked.

Lance nodded, thinking back to when Keith asked him what working at the Web was like.

"Well...do you remember someone named Matt Holt? I believe he used to work with you at the Web?"

He nodded again, curious as to why Keith was bringing up Pidge's brother. "Yes, I remember him."

Keith's eyes lit up, as though Lance remembering Matt made things easier for him. "I bet he'd be happy to hear that, heh. I'm actually pretty good friends with him, and well, we were just talking the other day when he mentioned some stuff about you."

Lance raised an eyebrow, interested in where this was going. Matt didn't have any sensitive information on him, so he wasn't worried or anything. Nobody had any sensitive information on him, really. "I'm flattered you guys would be talking about me! So what'd he say? He didn't secretly have a crush on me, did he?" They chuckled together at that as Keith rose his glass of water back to his lips.

"No, nothing like that! He just, uh...he mentioned that you'd dropped out of school? If this is getting too personal, we can always change topics, I was just curious on whether or not what he was saying was true, I guess."

 _School_. Lance didn't particularly like getting personal, but just this much was fine. Matt had probably overheard Lance mentioning it at some point. He'd gotten over it for the most part; he'd be fine as long as he kept the answer short.

"I'm sort of surprised he would remember anything about me, since we never really spoke, but yeah, he was telling you the truth! I dropped out of school during my first year of college."

Keith looked Lance over with that same strange expression combined with interest. "...why? That is, if you don't mind me asking...you can always just tell me if you don't want to talk about it."

Lance's brows furrowed a bit at Keith's passiveness towards, well, everything. He figured he should just ignore Keith's strange speaking pattern and take his words like he would any other order from a customer. Besides, again, Lance didn't have much of a problem if he only had to talk about this much, so if Keith wanted to know, he would deliver what the customer desired; although he didn't know why Keith wanted to know all this in the first place. It was probably just to kill time until they had sex, which Lance was fine with.

"School just wasn't for me. After my first year, I dropped out to be a cam boy, but that didn't last too long...I wanted a profession that I could be more open about, so with a little help, I got into stripping at the web. The stigma is still there, but saying I'm an exotic dancer is easier than saying I do cam work, so it's nice. Plus, I enjoy putting on the shows I do. I've been doing it for over two years now, after all, and I've become the most popular dancer there." He made eye contact with the pair of purple eyes across from him. "It's a hobby as much as it is work, now."

Keith seemed to really be mulling his words over, which didn't make much sense to Lance, since this was just the precursor to the real action coming later. "A hobby, huh." There was something in Keith's tone of voice that made Lance feel strange - uncomfortable, even.

The waiter came over with Keith's order, putting a break in their conversation that Lance was very much thankful for. If his customer wanted him to keep speaking then he would, but even if they were just talking about smaller things like why Lance enjoyed working at the Web, he still just didn't like talking about himself, period. At some strip clubs, humanizing yourself to the customer by talking about yourself was a common practice, because that was what some men liked...however, that wasn't the case with the Web, and certainly not with Lance. He didn't want to humanize himself, and others didn't want him to, either. He was there for the sex and to please his customer's needs. That was it. So, he figured he'd return the etiquette Keith had been exercising, in order to take the attention off of himself.

"Why don't you tell me something about yourself now, cutie?" He winked as the waiter set down Keith's plate and left them alone once more.

Keith looked happy to hear Lance ask about him, much to Lance's relief. "Oh, sure! Let's see...well, I don't really do much as far as work goes. I'm pretty wrapped up in my studies. In fact, some people say I'm too wrapped up…"

 _Studies. That's right. He's in school_. Lance poked at his salad with no intention of eating it, keeping his gaze on Keith simply for etiquette's sake. He may have been over the whole dropping out thing, but he still couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit of envy...and interest; especially when he saw the way Keith's eyes lit up with such vivid passion as he spoke.

"I'm actually in my fourth and final year at Altea University, studying towards becoming a pediatrician! We're in the home stretch of the year now, since it's late April, so things have been pretty crazy lately."

Despite himself and his policy of not letting personal feelings affect his work, Lance could feel Keith's eager talk about school rubbing off on him as he leaned forward onto the table a bit. "Really? Your final year?"

Keith was beaming as he nodded, clearly able to see he had Lance's attention. "Yep! But, of course, after that is med school, and then I'll have to train under a residency and do a ton more work in order to earn my license, but it'll be so worth it in the end!"

Lance had stopped playing with his salad now, smiling as his hands clasped together beneath the table. "Wow...that sounds like a lot...man…!" He looked over Keith longingly, wondering what it was like to be able to work towards living out your dream. He'd never know, so he figured he might as well get it all out of Keith right now. "Is it fun? What are your classes like? What made you want to become a pediatrician?"

Keith looked taken aback by all the questions, but he was smiling just as much as Lance, counting off his answers on his fingers. "Well, it certainly can be a lot of fun, but also stressful at times. Calc is a major pain, but I enjoy bio...oh! My favorite class is definitely child psychology. Seriously, that class has opened my eyes to a lot of stuff...as for the reason I want to be a pediatrician, well...I guess...I want to help young people, you know? I don't trust myself to be a counselor or anything, so this is my way of contributing. I don't want young people to have to lose their way…" He trailed off, and his enthusiasm died down a bit, as if his thoughts were suddenly occupied by something else, but Lance was too hyped up to really take notice of it.

"Wow, that all sounds really neat…" He leaned back into his chair, falling deep into thought as Keith took a moment to cut into his plate of spicy barbecue grilled chicken. Everything about Keith's school life was so fascinating to Lance. It'd been a while since he last stopped to remember what education was like, and he appreciated thinking about it much more than he thought he would.

 _I wonder what it's like_ … He sighed, knowing that talking about it was probably nothing like the real thing. There was nothing that could be done, though. That was Keith's life, and this was his. He shouldn't get too invested in his customer's personal affairs, since there should be nothing personal when it came to Lance's interactions with his customers to begin with, other than satisfying their needs. He had to calm down and get back in his professional mentality.

He cleared his throat to break the silence before looking back at Keith again. "So, when we finally do get to the fun part of the night, do you want me to-" His flirtatious bravado was cut short the moment he saw the way Keith was looking at him. Just like all those other times earlier tonight...it was uncomfortable. "...is...everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah. I was just starting to worry, because, well, you haven't touched your food...do you not like it here? Should I have taken us somewhere else?" Keith's eyes went back and forth between Lance and his salad as Lance returned his gaze with a confused look.

 _Worry_. That was it. That was the name of the strange emotion he kept seeing in Keith's eyes, the name of the strange emotion that made Lance feel so uncomfortable. What was the meaning behind it? He thought he made it pretty clear through his actions that formalities weren't needed to win him over. "...I'm fine." He poked at his salad and, against his better judgement, stuck a leaf in his mouth in hopes of satisfying Keith.

"...if you say so." Keith turned his attention back to his own plate, and another stretch of silence fell upon their table.

Lance was really just unable to read Keith. His actions confused him, and he did and said things that no one else ever said to Lance before. People were generally very easy for Lance to understand; all he had to do was satisfy their needs and submit to them. So long as he could do that, he felt like he was doing things right. In this case, however, he didn't know how to respond to anything Keith did. It was incredibly unsettling, and he really just wanted to get to the sex, because then he would be back in a familiar environment.

"...so!" Keith spoke suddenly, pulling Lance from his confused thoughts. "You got any cool hobbies?" He was clearly just trying to keep conversation going so that they weren't just sitting there in awkward silence, and while Lance also found it awkward to just stare at his food, casual talk wasn't necessarily much better; especially when it required talking about himself. Still, he had to keep up his professional front.

"Well, like I said, dancing is my hobby!"

"Okay, what about during your free time? You know, outside of work!"

Lance's brows furrowed, wondering why any of this was necessary information. Keith didn't need to know anything about him to fuck him, so why was he asking? Lance would much rather they discuss the boundaries of what would happen in the bedroom later tonight...but his customer had asked a question, so he'd do what he could to satisfy him. "Well...music is a big part of dancing, since you have to synchronize body movement with the song, so I like that. What about you?" The less Lance had to talk, the better.

Keith looked up thoughtfully. "Well, my favorite leisure activity is race car driving."

"Race car driving?" Lance didn't even realize he had repeated Keith until the words had already left his mouth. Obviously, he knew what racing was, but he had never actually met somebody who did something like that. Either that, or the people he did meet just never told him, since...he didn't talk about this type of stuff with people...

"That's right! There's a local track on the outskirts of town that I frequent! It's the best! You feel so free just booking it in your car at max speed, not to mention my baby's the sweetest ride out there." Keith got a fond look on his face at the mention of 'his baby', and Lance couldn't help but giggle - genuinely. It was weird, but it was funny.

Keith saw that he had Lance's attention and laughed along with him. "It's not just my sweet lion that's hot stuff, either-"

"Stop!" Lance burst into more laughter, clutching his stomach. "What did you just say? Your 'sweet lion'?" Lance had never heard anybody name their car before, nonetheless refer to it as a 'sweet lion'. He was having a difficult time getting himself under control as Keith's face reddened.

"Y-yeah, it's her name! She's the Red Lion!"

Nothing Keith was saying was helping Lance's fit of giggling, and he even gave a small snort on accident. He didn't even know he was capable of snorting while laughing!

Self-consciousness quickly overtook him, and he forced himself to go quiet as a slight blush crawled up his face. Shit. He usually maintained a bubbly and giggly persona so that he would come off as cute, but that had just been straight up mortifying. He was usually so good at staying in character while on the job, what happened? Why did he break character? Now Keith probably saw him as gross and he wouldn't get the money-

"Cute."

Lance's mind and body instantly froze up as he stared at Keith, who was just staring right back at him with a blush even worse than his own.

"Uh! I mean, I'm sorry, that just sorta came out…!" Keith apologized, moving his hands as he spoke. Lance couldn't help but feel a weird sort of warmth fill him from watching him. He didn't understand why Keith had said 'cute', since Lance had broken character and even _snorted_ , but he found him to be strangely entertaining.

Keith cleared his throat and shifted slightly in his seat. "Anyways...as I was saying, my...car...isn't the only thing that's hot stuff. You see, I just so happen to be the top racer there!"

"Really now?" Lance smiled, curious as to how racing worked.

"Yep! Everyone hates me for it, but that's the burden of being the best, I suppose! Racing is a pretty competitive sport, so naturally, as the top guy there, as the alpha, the other guys all wanna take me down. So far, though, I'm still at the top!"

Lance was just imagining Keith in a red race car suit now, helmet tucked beneath his arm as he stood beside his car, or as he put it, his 'lion'. "Wow, sounds like you really are hot stuff." He chuckled.

Keith's face turned red all over again. "I mean, you know...speed is a talent of mine, I guess! Red and I - I mean, my car! My car and I are a dream team!" He clearly seemed flustered, but he was still trying to retain his tough-guy-racer attitude, and Lance couldn't help but find the whole act incredibly amusing.

"Well, I'm glad to hear speed is a talent of yours, you know what I mean?" He winked, but the implication went right over Keith's head as he just beamed wider.

"Oh, definitely! I mean, I practically own the track!" He gave Lance a grin that was...well, he had to admit, it was pretty hot. Getting to fuck hot customers was always a bonus for Lance.

He leaned back into his seat with another chuckle. "I'm sure you do. I wonder what it's like. Must be fun, especially when you're so good at it!" Lance rose his glass of water to his smirking lips. He could relate to enjoying something you were good at.

Keith suddenly gasped, a light bulb going off in his head. Lance could literally see the light bulb moment in his eyes.

"I know! Why don't I take you to the track some time! I could show you what it's like!"

Lance rose an eyebrow at him questioningly. "Oh, um, I didn't actually mean that...I was just thinking out loud." He muttered uncertainly. The weird thing was, it shouldn't matter whether he meant it or not. Sure, going racing sounded sort of fun, but that wasn't what Lance was here for. He was doing prostitution work, and while accompanying the customer was included in an escort's job description, Lance was in it to provide sexual relief. That was his description, plain and simple. Keith's offer made no sense. Still, he pressed Lance further.

"It'd be fun! You could sit shotgun while we race!"

The more he talked about it in that excited, passionate way, similarly to when he talked about school, the more drawn in Lance was, which didn't make sense to him. He could understand his interest when Keith was talking about school, but he had no reason to be interested in racing. "...I may not be open on a night that you go racing, so I'll have to decline. Thank you, though! You're very sweet." Lance batted his eyelashes at Keith charmingly. Usually he would do whatever a customer told him to, but in this case, the request didn't pertain to the current job, so he could decline it.

Keith seemed to deflate at that, which made Lance wonder if he'd had some sort of ulterior motive of having sex after taking Lance racing or something. Whatever the case, their conversation died down a bit, and Lance spent most of the rest of their time in the restaurant just trying to make it through the night.

***

"I'm sorry for just inviting you in my car, I don't know what I was thinking. I mean, obviously, it probably just came off as creepy, didn't it?"

Lance turned away from the window to look back at Keith as they drove through the empty, dark highway. They were literally the only car on the road since local highways weren't very busy around midnight, and it made for a much sexier atmosphere in his opinion. He just couldn't understand why Keith was apologizing.

"My car is at the club, so I could've just taken it, but I didn't," Lance said awkwardly, not sure why he even had to give reassurance. "Either way, it's fine."

Keith grumbled with uncertainty, but kept his eyes on the road and nodded. "If you say so…"

They sat in silence again, as seemed to be routine for them at this point. Lance just figured he shouldn't speak unless spoken to, and really, there was no reason for conversation. He just wanted them to go wherever they were going to go to have sex and then do what he was good at. Speaking of which, he couldn't help but wonder where Keith intended for them to go to have sex.

He was about to voice his question when suddenly, a loud honking sound blasted from behind them, and a pair of headlights appeared in the rearview mirror.

Keith squinted his eyes into the mirror, watching the car as it came up beside them, before clicking his tongue and groaning. "It's a compadre of mine, sorry. One sec." He rolled down the window to see that the man in the other car had done the same. Lance couldn't see him clearly, but he could make out a head with very bleached hair sitting in the driver's seat and a blonde girl sitting shotgun.

"Hey, loooook! The guy next to us is a total hoooottie!" The girl giggled. Lance had heard enough intoxicated people in his life to know that she was far gone.

Keith snarled, not at her, but at the guy driving, and when he spoke, his voice took on a much different tone than anything Lance had heard before. "What do you want, Rolo? It's not very cool of you to be honking me out at midnight, don't you think?"

The man named Rolo snickered. "Aw, don't be like that, pal! I was just picking up my friend Nyma, here, and I couldn't help but notice your car just up ahead. Yeah, I'd notice that obnoxious color anywhere on any road. That was when a thought occurred to me; I'll bet he's only good because he's mastered the main track! You and I both know you can't beat me in an improv race. So how 'bout it? You wanna go at it, right here, right now? Or are you too scared, little red riding hood?"

Lance wasn't even being addressed, but he could still feel adrenaline rushing into him from this situation. He'd never seen anything like this before! It seemed like something straight out of a movie! And the look on Keith's face right now was the most intense, _sexy_ face Lance had ever seen.

"Red riding hood, huh? Looks like someone's got a lot more balls when he's around a pretty girl. Alright, Red and I will go ahead and teach you and 'Beezer' some respec-" Keith paused suddenly, glancing at Lance through his peripheral vision, and the badass side that he'd begun to show started to fade away. "...I...I mean, the next time we meet at the track…"

"What was that? You're backing out?" Rolo and Nyma both gave a mocking chuckle at them, making Lance narrow his eyes. When he'd heard Keith talking about it at the restaurant, the concept of racing had already started to interest him, and now that things had escalated the way they had, he was feeling pretty hyped. Plus, it was like Keith was holding back for his sake or something, which was crazy...nobody did things 'for his sake'.

Lance leaned forward to shout through Keith's window. "If you didn't hear him, he said, he's going to teach you respect!"

Keith turned to him with wide eyes as Lance grinned. He couldn't believe this was happening, and he couldn't believe what he was doing, but somehow, this just felt right. He didn't want to hold his customer back or be a burden, but it was more than that. His heart was thumping with genuine excitement at what was about to happen. Plus, Keith looked hot when he was competitive.

"...are you sure?" Keith asked, the same worry in his voice from the restaurant.

Lance wrinkled his nose, not understanding why Keith was so hesitant. "I'm sure." He confirmed.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Keith furrowed his brows together and turned back to Rolo. "You heard him, Rolo. It's on."

Nyma gave a drunken chortle of excitement as Rolo whistled. "Good. We'll race down to the exit. You takin' it?"

"Yeah, we're taking the next exit," Keith said.

"Alright, then I guess we'll just race to there, since Nyma lives straight ahead. Unfortunately I won't get to rub it in your face right away once I beat you since we'll be splitting up, so instead, winner gets bragging rights at the next meetup at the track. Oh, and of course, we get to brag to our 'partners'." Rolo winked.

Even in the dark, Lance could see red crawl up Keith's face as he momentarily glanced at Lance then back to Rolo. "Wha - 'partner'? We're not-"

"Ha! Let's gooo!" Rolo sped up ahead, leaving them behind in a trail of Nyma's obnoxiously loud giggles.

"Shit! Hang on!" Keith immediately stepped on the pedal, and their surroundings became a blur as they raced ahead. Wind was blowing in through Keith's window like a mini hurricane, and he was quick to close it.

Lance squealed and clutched onto his seat, eyes lighting up in pleasant surprise and excitement at the feeling of moving so fast in a car. He wasn't even really involved in the race, but he could feel the competitive fire in the air. "Are we gonna catch them?" He asked, briefly wondering if he was too into this.

Keith flashed him a smirk, a really fucking _sexy_ smirk, before turning his attention forward again. "Don't worry. Even with a head start, he can't win. It's just a straight road up to the exit, which is the finish line, and my 'Red Lion' has way more natural speed than 'Beezer'. There!" He made a nodding gesture, and Lance tried to lean forward to take a look. Unfortunately, the speed made him feel like a paper puppet, and he flustered around a bit before quickly sinking back into his seat, not trusting himself to move. It was terrifying, but in the way that gave him a sense of exhilaration that he'd never felt before. Keith's words from earlier in the restaurant popped into his head.

'You feel so free just booking it in your car at max speed!'

'Free' wasn't something Lance ever really considered using to describe himself, but right now, he didn't know any other way to put it as he laughed heartily, still holding onto his seat for dear life. "I see them!" He exclaimed, squinting his eyes a bit as Rolo's car appeared just in front of them.

"See? Told you. Hang on, now!" Keith warned, picking up speed as he turned to get a diagonal angle on Rolo's car so that he could pass it. Rolo kept mimicking the movements of Keith's car, though, trying to stay directly in front of him so that he didn't have a chance to go around them.

Lance saw Nyma's hand appear from her window, flicking them off, and the sense of competition must've been rubbing off on him, because he suddenly felt the need to lower his window and return her insult.

He only managed to drop his window open an inch, though, before Keith immediately shut it from his side, speaking harshly while still keeping his eyes on the road.

"No. That's dangerous."

Lance raised an eyebrow at him before giggling and gesturing to the seat belt strapped around him. "Oh, come on, it's all in good fun! Besides, I'm perfectly safe!" He reached to open the window again, but Keith gave a threatening growl and risked a quick glance at him.

"I said, don't. It's not safe. Understood?"

His voice resembled that of a parent scolding a child, only it was much more tame, and it had that element of worry that Keith had been exhibiting all night long… It didn't make sense to Lance. What was the matter? Was Keith worrying about his safety? That couldn't be right…

"I said, 'understood'?" Keith reiterated, and suddenly the race had momentarily faded, and it was just Lance looking at someone who almost seemed to be genuinely concerned for him.

He gulped. "U-understood…" Agreeing to everything his customer told him to do was something he was used to, but this was different. Keith wasn't telling Lance to do something for him...he was telling Lance to do something for himself. It didn't make sense…

"Okay. Now hold on!" Keith's scolding voice turned back into a more playful one as he suddenly swerved right, breaking Lance out of his train of thought with a yelp. He was suddenly glad he didn't open his window as he twisted his body a bit to hug his seat from all the vehicle maneuvering going on. He'd never felt a car move like this before, but Keith looked like he was in perfect sync with his car.

They picked up speed again, and if his surroundings were a blur to him before, now they just seemed surreal, since everything that looked far away was suddenly flying past him within the blink of an eye. It was unbelievably thrilling, but terrifying all the same, and he couldn't help but shut his eyes in an attempt to just focus on the thrill of going fast.

Lance could hear the blood pounding in his ear and he could feel each pump of his heart as vibrations throughout his entire body, and he'd never been more aware of just how _alive_ he was than he was in this moment.

A loud and triumphant shout from next to him convinced him to open his eyes again, and when he did, he saw that there was nobody in front of them. Instead, Rolo's car, which was apparently named 'Beezer', was just behind them in the mirror. He'd done it. Keith had somehow managed to pass him while Lance had been out of it.

A large, gleeful smile quickly spread across his face as he hugged his seat tighter, and he even bounced in it a bit. "We did it!" He exclaimed, barely aware of the sweat on his forehead from how invested he'd gotten. He couldn't believe Keith had somehow managed to get around them.

Keith chuckled at his excitement. "It isn't over just yet! A true pro doesn't celebrate until he's across the finish line! You know, it's the whole tortoise and the hare thing. Don't quit hanging on, yet!" They continued forward at a speed that was still above anything Lance had ever experienced prior to this night, creating an ever growing gap between them and Rolo.

Lance joined in with Keith's laughing, trying to calm his heart down, because he swore he'd never felt like this before in his entire life. He had no idea what Keith meant by 'tortoise and hare', but then again, he didn't understand a lot of what Keith said or did, so he just let it pass, still euphoric on adrenaline.

The exit road was just up ahead, and they secured their victory with a good ten seconds between them and Rolo's car. Lance slowly relaxed into his seat, clutching his chest and turning to look at Keith in triumph. He hadn't expected to see Keith staring back at him, mouth slightly agape as they slowed back down to a more normal level of speed.

They looked at each other for a good while before Keith turned his attention back to the road, gulping. "...told you he couldn't beat me."

Lance chuckled all over again at that, heaving out a deep sigh as his heart rate gradually returned to normal. He still couldn't believe what had just happened, and he was about to express his joy when Keith spoke up again.

"I uh, I'm sorry if that was uncalled for. I mean, I'm sorry if that was scary or something…I know you said you didn't want to go racing with me or anything, but-"

"Pfft, that was awesome!" Lance exclaimed, not waiting for him to finish. He didn't know why Keith was apologizing, but he wasn't interested in listening to it. He'd never thought of himself as being someone who wanted to have fun, since that just wasn't a part of his life. The most fun he allowed himself was having sex with others...but he was positive that the last half hour with Keith was some of the most fun he'd ever had. Ever. It was strange...he was conflicted about it. He couldn't decide if it was a good thing that he'd had fun or not…

Regardless of his thoughts, his excitement was still showing on the outside, and that made Keith smile again. "Yeah? I told you! Racing is great!"

Lance's smile weakened a bit now that he was really thinking about what had just happened, but he chuckled along with Keith nonetheless, turning to look out the window. "Yeah...that was great."

***

Lance was so busy questioning himself over having fun and trying to get himself back into his professional mindset that he didn't even notice they'd pulled into the Web's parking lot until the car stopped. He immediately straightened his back and looked around in surprise, making sure he wasn't just delirious after that race.

"Why are we-" He turned to question Keith, but he was already stepping out of the driver's seat and walking around the car to Lance's side.

Words couldn't describe Lance's confusion as Keith opened his door and stepped to the side with a smile, holding it open for him.

Lance didn't dare move a muscle, and the longer he stayed still, the more Keith began getting confused, until they were both just looking at each other wondering what on earth the other was doing.

"Uh...would you like to get out?" Keith asked uncertainly.

Lance was just as uncertain. "...aren't we going somewhere else to do it, though? Why would we stop here?"

Keith's eyes widened, and a light shade of red surfaced on his cheeks. "Oh! Did you want to hang out more, still?"

"Hang out?" Lance raised an eyebrow as he looked Keith over. "What are you talking about? Aren't we going to have sex, still? Isn't that the whole point?"

He expected Keith to say something, like he changed his mind and decided to just fuck him here in the Web. What he didn't expect was the look of shock and disgust that immediately wiped away Keith's blush.

"What?! What made you think that?"

For whatever reason, Lance couldn't meet Keith's gaze as he looked down. "I mean, you said you were making it up to me for not fucking me in the private room...remember?"

Keith was speechless for a few seconds, just staring at him in disbelief, before he finally deflated with a groan. "No...I meant I felt bad for just using you to get off, and I wanted to make it up to you somehow. At first I was just going to show up and talk and apologize, which was why I came back last night, but then you...wait, is that the reason you asked me out somewhere? For sex?"

Lance was just trying to follow along with the situation, trying to piece together Keith's confusion. "Of course it is! I mean, isn't that why we're here right now? Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Of course not!" Keith exclaimed, his voice quivering with an emotion that Lance couldn't name. That seemed to happen a lot with Keith. "I told you, I was just trying to make it up to you! I...that never even crossed my mind!"

Lance's eyes narrowed as he looked back up at Keith, trying to read him. "That doesn't make sense...why would you feel bad…?"

They both fell silent as Lance's gaze once again dropped to the ground, a headache starting to gnaw at him. He was too wrapped up in his confused thoughts to pay attention to how much time passed before Keith finally broke the silence.

"...just because others would do something like that to you, doesn't mean I would."

Lance scoffed and looked up, expecting to see a two-faced look of ridicule on Keith's face...what he saw instead was a determined look of sincerity. There was no humor in his eyes, no hint of amusement on his smileless face, and suddenly, Lance felt so, so small, like everything he thought he knew was just collapsing in on itself from just the look in Keith's eyes.

He was at a loss. For the first time in one year, there was a man standing in front of him that he couldn't read, someone that went against everything Lance was and everything Lance knew. He didn't know what to do...so, naturally, he did his best to play it off.

"...you're very strange." He giggled, and even though giggling was a part of the 'adorable persona' he usually put up, it felt strangely genuine. He got up out of the car and stood in front of Keith with his hands awkwardly placed behind his back.

Keith bit his lower lip. "Sorry if I misinterpreted what you were here for...or if I wasted your time, or something…"

"Not at all!" The words left Lance's mouth before he could stop them, because the thought of this night being a waste of his time was absurd...although, that was absurd in itself, because, this _was_ a waste of his time, wasn't it? He had gone out with Keith to have sex and get paid, not to have fun and get confused. "...it wasn't a waste. I just...never mind." He didn't know where he was going with his words and didn't trust himself enough to speak, so he didn't.

Keith chuckled a bit at his stammering. "Well, as long as it's cleared up now, right?"

Lance gave a weak nod, fingers twiddling together behind his back. "Yeah." He was still trying to figure out what what they just did was, then...was it an escort? Or something else? Was he still supposed to demand money from Keith for spending time with him? How much would he demand if he did decide to? He wasn't an expert when it came to escort jobs, and he always had sex whenever he did do this kind of thing...what was he supposed to do when there hadn't even been any sex involved? Was he getting conned?  
"Say…" Keith's voice snapped him out of his mental self-interrogation. "Uh...would you like to...go somewhere else some time?"

Just like that, Lance's train of thought stopped completely. His eyes were as wide as saucers as he took in Keith's words and looked for any sign of an ulterior motive, something that would explain to him what on earth was going on.

"...why? For...sex?" Lance muttered with uncertainty, unable to think of anything else.

Keith looked taken aback at that, hand moving off of his car door. "What? No! Just...you know, like today! For fun!"

Lance's brows furrowed together. _Fun_. Just hearing that word immediately made him remember the feeling of racing down the empty road at 100 miles per hour, like a star streaking across the night sky; able to feel like he had no restraints. He could imagine it more vividly now that he wasn't caught up in the thrill of it, could remember how his heart had pounded against his chest, still able to hear their laughter, still able to feel how _alive_ he'd felt. Just thinking about what 'fun' meant gave him goosebumps.

Keith sighed, interpreting his silence as rejection. "Hey, it's okay. I was just asking. Maybe it was dumb for me to...yeah. Anyways-"

"No!" Lance shouted quickly, feeling a strange sense of panic spike through him that he wasn't at all used to. His sudden outburst made them both freeze, with Keith watching him expectantly...and hopefully.

Lance gulped, unsure why he was doing this. Why, after one whole year, was he now deciding to do something other than dance and have sex? Sure, he went out occasionally with Pidge and Hunk as distractions from life, but that didn't really mean anything. Not to him, anyways. But for some reason, this one night alone had him feeling strange...it had him feeling _different_.

"...my shift tomorrow starts late at night, so...I have a lot of free time during the day..."

Perhaps he was just trying to find more distractions; something else to take his mind off of things other than Pidge and Hunk. He wasn't sure if that was exactly what was going on here, but he would take the excuse.

Keith's face immediately brightened upon hearing him say that. "Really? Sweet! That works out great! Maybe sometime around 3 or 4 we could go somewhere?"

Hearing Keith get so excited about going somewhere with Lance _without_ the promise of sex was easily the strangest thing to him, but somehow, he didn't mind it. In fact, it put a smile on his face as he listened to him. "Sure...whatever you want."

Keith shut the car door. "Awesome! Right. Okay. Sounds good! I'll, uh...text you!"

Lance giggled some more, swaying his body from side to side a bit. "If you say so!"

They stood in silence outside Keith's car, or as he put it, his 'Red Lion', just watching each other as the music from the club soaked through the walls and into the parking lot. It was techno again.

"...well, uh...I do have a test tomorrow morning, so...I should probably go."

The mention of a test immediately summoned Lance's memory of all their talk about school, and he felt a small sense of longing...just a little bit. "Alright. Until next time, then, cutie!" He winked and began to take a few steps back, waving with his fingers.

Keith snickered at his display of cuteness and mimicked his wave before walking back around to the driver's seat and disappearing into the car.

For some reason, Lance waited where he was, staying to watch Keith pull out of the parking lot and following his car down the road with his eyes. Why had he done that? Why had he agreed so easily to go somewhere with Keith again...for free? Was it to learn more about what college life was like from him? Or was it to experience more 'fun'?

...just the thought of that car race against Rolo had Lance's heart beating faster again, and he clutched his hand to his chest to calm himself. Maybe this was the reason he had agreed - so that he could understand what it meant for his heart to beat this fast. So that he could understand why Keith opened doors for him. So that he could understand why Keith asked him why he didn't touch his food, or why Keith had so sternly scolded him to not open his window while they were racing. Maybe that was the reason he was going to see Keith again...so that he could understand.

Whatever the reason, one thing was for certain; they weren't escort and customer anymore.

So then...what were they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Looks like their relationship is starting to go somewhere, hm?


	5. April 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I would like to upload a chapter every Friday, or at least every weekend, so look forward to that!

The memories of the night before were as clear as daydreams in Lance's head, constant laughter ringing in his ear that seemed so vivid yet unreal. Maybe it was pathetic and embarrassing that his heart _still_ increased in speed just by thinking about the race despite the entire affair having taken place last night, but he couldn't help his sense of wonder as he stared at the ocean-themed dream catcher that hung above his bed. Somehow, the thought that they would be having more fun today, fun that excluded sex, brought him even greater excitement.

Lance hadn't felt this way in a very long time. The very concept of excitement and leisurely joy had disappeared one year ago...exactly one year ago, in fact.

He slowly sat up in his bed, mood sombered as he reached for his phone and observed the date.

_April 23_. The cursed day. The day Lance's life lost its light. The day he was left all alone.

One year ago from this day... _he_ disappeared.

Whereas his memories of last night had brought him excitement, remembering his past affiliation with April 23 was beginning to make Lance feel sick to the stomach, and he scooted back to lean against the headboard of the bed.

He couldn't do this. He couldn't go out today, couldn't go to work, couldn't see other people's faces. He had to cancel all his plans, there was no way he could do this, he just needed to curl up in bed with a bottle of liquor and hope to make it through the day…

_No_ , he scolded himself, clenching his teeth as sweat gathered on his brow. _You have to try_.

Lance could clearly remember how agonizing and lonely his days had been at first, how he had felt like it was useless to go on. The only thing keeping him from giving up on life had been pathetic hope as he waited for his prince to return for him…

Eventually, he had to make the conscious decision to start hanging around Pidge and Hunk, so that he wouldn't go crazy while waiting...but that was many months ago. That was so, so many months ago, and it felt like even longer. Every day on his own felt like a lifetime, and third wheeling in Pidge and Hunk's antics was the distraction that had gotten him this far. But it had been an entire year now. Today was the anniversary of _that_ day, and Lance wasn't stupid. He knew that nobody was coming back for him.

Maybe one year was enough. Maybe the amount of suffering he'd experienced within this past year was enough. Maybe he'd endured enough to the point where he was able to think about putting a foot forward. Maybe he _wanted_ to put a foot forward.

He doubted it, doubted that he could experience anything other than these shackles that kept him chained where he was, like a caged bird stripped of freedom...but at the same time, there was that lingering sense of 'maybe'.

Today, the anniversary of the day he left, would decide it all. If, after exactly one year, Lance could actually smile...if he could actually have fun exactly one year later...then he would take it as a sign that the world was telling him he could finally be free of his chains. He would try to unlock his cage.

He took multiple deep breaths, cementing his decision to make an attempt at overriding the awful memories this day brought up by making new memories. His finger slid through his phone to see texts from Pidge and Hunk respectively, most of which consisted of questions regarding his 'date' last night along with demands for him to 'get his ass to Arus Cafe stat'. Wow, Pidge sure was pushy, but he figured he'd respond to her since Hunk was probably blowing everything out of proportion.

'Alright, I'm coming', he texted her, stretching in his bed a bit. Her answer came way too soon.

'Good. You better not be lying. I have a tracker on your phone, you know. I'll know if you're lying'.

Lance's jaw dropped as he read that message, unsure if he was supposed to take that literally or not since this was Pidge of all people he was talking to. Putting a tracker on his phone was definitely within her skillset.

'Haha...I'm coming' he assured, getting up and turning for the bathroom. Before he could even take two steps, however, his phone buzzed again.

He debated if he should just leave it and reply once he was done getting ready, since Pidge would probably just keep replying at the speed of a super computer generated bot, but decided there was no harm in just answering one more thing.

He was glad he did, because when he picked his phone back up, he saw the notification was from none other than Keith, and for whatever reason, that made his face brighten as he read the text.

'I'm open any time after 3 or 4, if that works with you?'

'I'll wait for you at the Web at 4:30. Just come get me from there'. Lance answered so quickly, it was almost like he'd put some thought into it beforehand...because he had. For a lot of last night, actually...

Keith responded with 'sounds good!' followed by a dorky emoji; the one with its tongue sticking out. Lance couldn't help but giggle at that, tossing his phone back on the bed and walking to the bathroom with much higher spirits. He wanted to be picked up from the Web so that he could just jump straight into work after they did...whatever they were going to do. He still wasn't really sure what Keith wanted.

_Sex_? No, Keith had made it clear that wasn't what he was after...although Lance didn't fully buy it still. And if he was after sex, that was fine. Lance wouldn't mind it, since that was his job. That was his thing.

But maybe, if Keith was telling the truth about just wanting to have fun...then Lance could allow himself to indulge in it.

_Just maybe_.

***

Lance arrived at Arus Cafe half an hour later and immediately spotted Hunk and Pidge sitting at one of the outside tables. They saw him as soon as he approached as well, because, of course they did. They always seemed very attentive for whatever reason.

"Lance! Hey!" Hunk shouted, waving him over.

Lance wore his best smile and sat down.

"Hunk, please. He's right there, we don't need to yell," Pidge said, pushing her glasses up pointedly before turning her attention to Lance with a smile. "But really, hey! Hunk and I already got you a café con leche, and there are some cinnamon rolls on the way!" She pushed the cup over to him, and he delicately grabbed the handle, surprised to find it was still hot.

"Thank you for the coffee drink! I'm sorry for keeping you waiting long, though...I'm surprised the cinnamon rolls aren't here yet. Slow service today?" He made conversation to be polite.

"Oh, no, you know this place has great service. We were just waiting a bit so that everything would still be fresh and hot by the time you arrived," Pidge explained.

Lance's eyes widened in bewilderment upon hearing they'd waited to order just for him. For as long as he'd known Pidge and Hunk, they'd always done things like this, and as much as he tried to understand why, he still just couldn't think of a reason for it. They weren't trying to have sex with him, obviously...probably...and they weren't gaining anything from letting him third wheel with them. Yet, despite this, they'd put up with him for months. But why?

"So, Lance!" Hunk leaned forward a bit, breaking Lance out of his inner crisis. "How was your night?"

Lance immediately remembered the reason they'd called him here, and he couldn't stop the nervous chuckle that escaped him as he shifted in his seat. "Oh! Um...it was good," he answered simply.

Pidge gave a heavy sigh. "Boooooring! We want the juicy details! Who was the guy? How did you meet? What'd you two talk about?"

Hunk nodded along with everything she said. "Yeah! I never got to - oh, thank you!" He paused briefly to accept their plates of cinnamon rolls from the waiter, setting one in front of each of them before turning back to Lance. "I never got to hear about any of it!"

Lance gulped. He normally didn't have much of a problem saying things related to his work to Pidge and Hunk since they knew he was a stripper, but this was different. What happened between him and Keith was on a fine line between work and...something else. As for what that something else was, he wasn't even sure himself.

The cinnamon roll in front of him smelled pleasing enough, but there was no way he could eat something sweet, especially not for breakfast, so he just treated it as a distraction more than a meal, poking his fork against it harmlessly. "It's not that interesting, really. How about you two? How were your nights?"

Hunk gasped, taking a moment to swallow the roll in his mouth before speaking up with enthusiasm. "Are you kidding? Of course it's interesting! I mean, really, it's the only reason we're here right now instead of working on the master key."

"Yep," Pidge agreed, leaning back into her chair a bit. "Honestly, the deadline for that is coming up, so maybe we shouldn't be taking breaks...but anyways, this is too big not to talk about."

They watched Lance expectantly, but he was so shaken by their comments that he momentarily forgot how to speak. Apparently they took a break from working on the master key, which had a deadline that was getting closer, just to talk to him? Just to discuss his night with Keith? And then there was the fact that the cinnamon roll in front of him right now was hot and fresh, even though he wasn't going to eat it.

Pidge and Hunk were always very...nice...to him. He wasn't sure if he could put it any other way. They were always going out of their way to include him and to treat him like a human...just like Keith.

_Maybe, maybe, maybe..._

He took a deep breath, clenching his hands together as he made up his mind. Today was the anniversary of _that_ day, and it was also the day where he would decide what direction the world intended for him to go. If he wanted results for today...he would have to push some boundaries.

His heart was already beating fast with anxiety, but he somehow managed to find his voice and push through. "...it was a bit of a misunderstanding, really…" he started, clasping his hands together beneath the table in hopes of alleviating his nerves.

The other two seemed interested enough in that small detail, sharing a quick glance before giving him even more of their attention than before.

"What do you mean a misunderstanding? Don't tell me he's actually 'straight' and just went out with you to prove to himself that he didn't enjoy being with guys or something like that," Pidge complained as though the situation was so predictable, and Lance found himself welcoming the younger girl's humor greatly.

"No, no, nothing like that! We did enjoy each other's - I mean! I think he liked it just fine…" Lance gulped, face already reddening from accidentally saying they had both enjoyed the night. Even though he was positive he had. It still felt so strange… "I-I just meant, I thought it was a job...but then it ended up being...not a job?"

"So that's why you were there during your usual working hours!" Hunk shouted, smacking his fist down on his palm like he was having an epiphany.

Pidge was leaning towards the table again, eyes slitted in a somewhat threatening manner. "Oh. So did he con you?"

"No!" Lance gasped, his quick answer surprising even himself. More heat crawled up his cheeks. This was hard. He'd never held a conversation with Pidge and Hunk much before, especially not one about himself. "I-I mean...it was my fault for misunderstanding. But everything turned out fine...I mean, we got in a highway race after eating, and-"

"A highway race?!" Hunk exclaimed suddenly, startling Lance. "But it isn't safe to race on public roads!"

Pidge rolled her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Hunk. It isn't safe to talk on your phone while driving, yet people still do that."

"I don't!" He argued, but she clearly wasn't listening to him anymore, her focus completely on Lance.

"So like, wow, this dude sounds totally hardcore. What was his name again?"

Lance's lips curled up slightly in amusement at their antics, and he was certain no two people were a better fit for the term 'two peas in a pod' than Pidge and Hunk. "His name was Keith."

"Ah," she nodded, as if suddenly understanding something Lance didn't. "Guess that rules out my earlier suggestion. 'Keith' is a very gay name."

"Pidge, a name can't have a sexuality!" Hunk protested.

She didn't seem to care about his argument as she cut a piece of her cinnamon roll, poked her fork through it, and pointed it at Hunk. "Shush! I only speak the truth. Anyways, now that we've established that he's 100% gay, and that he's into stuff like racing, I must ask, does he have a phone number?"

That question threw Lance off a bit, but he quickly regained his composure. Despite his anxiety, it felt sort of relieving to be trying to talk to Pidge and Hunk in a more normal manner. "Uh, yeah, he does have a phone number, actually. Why?"

Pidge shrugged. "Because I'm going to need it to get a tracker inside his phone. That way, if he wrongs you, I can find him and take him out."

"Pidge, no!" Hunk gasped in horror, pushing aside his empty plate so that he could stare directly at her.

She was as nonchalant as ever, observing her fork in front of her eyes. "Hey, don't get all authoritarian with me. Wouldn't you do the same?"

Hunk hesitated for a second at that, but quickly countered. "Well, of course I'd be upset if he tried something on Lance, but that doesn't mean you can just say you'll take someone out! That's scary!"

"How is that scary?" Pidge dropped her fork back on her plate with a loud metal clang. "All I suggested was putting a tracker on him for precautionary measures. That's not scary. Carrying around a needle full of paralysis drugs - now _that's_ scary. Honestly Hunk, I don't mind horrifying people, but at least be horrified over something that's actually worth it."

An inhuman wail of pure terror squeezed out of Hunk's throat, and even though Lance had to agree that that last bit was more than a little terrifying, he still found them entertaining. And then there was the fact that they were arguing over whether it was okay or not to hurt someone if they did something to him.

Lance honestly wasn't sure what to make of the entire conversation; he wasn't even sure if he believed it to begin with. Would they really stand up for him if someone hurt him? Were they really willing to go that far? If they were there when Lance got hurt in the past, would they have done something?

"Dude, you have to introduce us properly some time!" Hunk's voice snapped Lance out of his reverie, and he looked up to see Pidge had seemingly stopped spewing out traumatizing facts about what she would and wouldn't do to Keith.

His smile grew a bit wider. Maybe, if he made it through the day, and if he was able to unlock himself from the cage he was in, he would be able to trust that Pidge and Hunk didn't have ulterior motives. Maybe, he would be able to believe that they were nice to him just because they were.

_Maybe, maybe, maybe…_

"Guys, I think you're looking into this too much...the entire thing was still just a misunderstanding…" He reminded them, nervousness settling in all over again when they looked at him with dissatisfaction.

"Hey, just because it was a misunderstanding doesn't mean it can't mean anything! I mean, just look at us! We practically met by chance, and now, we're totally inseparable!" Pidge declared.

Lance almost gasped out loud, completely shaken upon hearing that. They were...inseparable? He'd never thought of it that way...and frankly, he'd prefer not to. The last time he'd thought something like that, it only lead to unmeasurable pain, exactly one year ago today…

Still, hearing Pidge say something like that was new to Lance. He certainly didn't see it that way, but if she did...well, what did that mean?

"So!" Hunk clapped his hands together. "Why don't you finish telling us about your night with Keith? You haven't even given us any juicy details yet!"

Lance gulped and, in typical nervous fashion, started to just spew out words. "Oh! Well, uh, like I said, we ate, and then we went racing, and then we talked about stuff, and uh…" He paused, trying to think of 'juicy details'. He wanted to give them what they wanted to hear, wanted to satisfy them, because this conversation was honestly feeling super good and he didn't want to ruin anything. "He said he's studying to become a pediatrician? And he races, but, I already said that...and the whole night was sorta weird because he kept opening doors...but overall it went pretty okay." He ended his rambling with a sheepish and hopeful grin as Pidge and Hunk exchanged a look.

"...wow. The dude sounds pretty nice," Hunk observed.

Pidge hummed in agreement. "Yeah. Maybe too nice. Perhaps I should look into-"

"Pidge, no!" Hunk scolded, already knowing she was going to make some scary remark.

"Ugh, fine." She rolled her eyes before smiling at Lance, showing off her mastery over the art of swapping between being entertaining and serious. "But really though, he does sound pretty nice. You said he has a phone number, so he must've given it to you, right? Are you gonna see him again?"

It still felt like they were making a bigger deal out of the whole thing despite him saying it was just a misunderstanding, but Lance didn't correct them again. After all, even he still wasn't sure that was true. "Uh...yeah. Actually, we planned a…" He stopped, suddenly at a loss for words. What did they plan? They said they would see each other again later today, but...what was Lance supposed to call it? "...we're meeting up again. Later today."

Hunk and Pidge immediately overreacted upon hearing that, but Lance couldn't share their enthusiasm. He was, without a doubt, interested in seeing Keith again, to try and make sense of everything from last night, but the question was haunting him more than ever now. What was he supposed to call these outings of theirs? And how was he supposed to describe their relationship?

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Lance had some idea of a possible answer. He knew there was a reason Pidge and Hunk reacted the way they did. There was a clear interpretation for the interactions he and Keith had, but no matter how much it was implied, he didn't want to jump to the conclusion. Not yet. But maybe, if he managed to make it through the day...if the sun still shined on this anniversary day...then maybe he could entertain the thought. Maybe he could find a word to describe their interactions.

_Maybe, maybe, maybe…_

***~Keith~***

As soon as Keith finished helping Shiro organize his most recent order of textbooks, he went straight home to get ready for his...hang out...with Lance. Excitement helped him dress quickly, and he was on the road to the Web of Sins in no time at all.

Keith's face was still a bit flushed as he remembered Matt waving him off for his 'date' just an hour earlier. This wasn't a date, and last night hadn't been a date; Keith knew that much. At least...it wasn't a date so long as Lance didn't want it to be.

The events from the previous night were still fresh in Keith's mind. Even now, he could remember the thrill of speeding past Rolo, the bliss of hearing Lance laugh as he experienced racing for the first time, and most of all, he couldn't wipe the memory of Lance's elated smile, reaching both of his ears as he blessed Keith with the beauty of a rainbow following a stormy day. Truly, Lance had reached levels of 'adorable' last night that were so high it was ridiculous. Keith knew he was the most popular stripper and all, and he'd always found his dancing captivating and his face extraordinarily charming up close, but he felt like he'd seen an entirely different side to Lance last night. He wasn't sure if he was just being delusional or not, but he was sure the Lance he'd raced with had been different from the Lance in the Web, and even different from the Lance in the restaurant...and somehow, it made him feel closer to him. Whether that was a good thing or not, Keith wasn't even sure.

His feelings for Lance as of currently were rather simple - the most he knew was that he wanted to see the stunningly attractive boy outside of the Web again, because Keith had had fun last night. Things got complicated when he thought about Lance's side of the equation, though, and how he'd gone into it just expecting sex. Even after Keith explained that he was just trying to make it up to him, Lance still asked if he was expecting sex when he asked to see him a second time. It was...a bit disturbing, honestly. It made Keith want to understand Lance's life as a stripper more. It made him want to understand what stripping was like in general; because if it gave Lance those kinds of thoughts, then...he could only describe it as being unhealthy.

That said, Keith was proud of himself for managing to ask Lance if he could take him out a second time. Sure, it was a little easier since they weren't using the term 'date' to describe their time spent together, but it had still been a while since Keith did anything like this. He couldn't help it, though. At first he had just been interested in the things Matt told him about Lance, but now he was genuinely interested in him. The thought of seeing different sides to him, even the bad sides, got Keith excited.

Discussing what it was like to be a stripper more would have to wait for later, though, as he pulled into the Web's parking lot. Sure enough, he spotted Lance waiting for him outside the entrance in a cute blue crop top that instantly had Keith's jaw collapsing to the floor of his car. Lance's sex appeal seemed to grow every time Keith saw him, and he didn't understand _how_ he did it. How was it even possible?

He could only stare in awe as Lance walked over to his parked car and leaned against the passenger seat door, an expectant yet flirtatious look on his face. The window lowered so they could speak to each other.

"Hey," Lance's voice was so smooth it sent shivers down Keith's spine, and when combined with his look...yeah. Keith was absolutely screwed.

He gulped and somehow remembered to unlock his car, ogling eyes only widening more when Lance opened the door and slid into the seat. His dark blue jean shorts showed off his curves generously in a sitting position, and then there were his legs, which might've been the most slender pair of anything Keith had ever seen.

"I'm flattered you're checking me out, but my eyes are up here." Lance giggled, snapping Keith's attention back to reality.

Red quickly climbed Keith's cheeks as he cleared his throat awkwardly. Shit. He couldn't even deny that his current state of flusteredness made him seem like a total virgin, but who wouldn't be acting this way upon seeing Lance looking _this_ attractive.

"Sorry! Uh...sorry. Just - you look amazing."

Lance looked down at himself with a small smile. "Thank you...you look good, yourself. Your mullet is looking well groomed."

Keith's face reddened more as Lance chuckled, but he was willing to accept any compliment from Lance. God, the way he laughed just added to his cuteness...he could just sit there watching and listening to Lance smile for hours, and so long as he was happy, Keith would be, too. That was how heartwarming his smiles were.

...and apparently, Keith _did_ just sit there watching and listening to him; not for hours, but for at least a good minute. He didn't even realize until Lance cleared his throat.

"So...did you have plans for today?"

A collection of embarrassed reprimands swarmed Keith's head like fireflies as he turned away from Lance. "Oh, right! Yes! I was thinking we could maybe go to the nearest mall? You know...just have fun?" He figured he might as well clarify his intentions, just in case. He didn't want another misunderstanding.

"The mall, huh…" Lance's face fell a bit, immediately sending a spike of panic through Keith.

"But I mean, if you don't want to, we can go somewhere else! Anywhere else! Where, uh...where would you like to go, Lance?" He offered.

Lance answered him with a giggle, smile quickly reappearing on his face. "Oh, no, the mall is fine! It sounds fun. Let's go!"

Keith paused to observe Lance for a while, but the forlorning look from before was gone, as though it'd never existed. "...if you say so." He prepared to back up, but paused once again upon throwing a quick look in Lance's direction. "Oh, uh...if you could wear your seatbelt, that'd be nice. I mean, Red and I won't be doing any racing today, probably, but it's still safer, you know?"

Lance glanced back and forth between Keith and his seatbelt, hesitating. "Oh...sure. Of course." He buckled himself in and shot Keith a smile. "Safer. Right."

Keith wasn't quite sure what to make of his reaction, so he just went along with it and pulled out of the Web.

This was it! He was going on another...outing...with Lance! Honestly, just being near him made Keith excited. It always had, simply because of how breathtaking Lance's presence always was. Still, they hadn't known each other for too long, so he figured he'd try to ease the atmosphere.

"Hey, you can put on any music you want! Radio is all yours," Keith offered.

A look of shock and then alarm flashed through Lance's eyes as he glanced around the inner workings of Keith's car. "Oh. Okay. Uh…" His eyes continued to dart around, and he suddenly seemed more disorganized. Maybe Keith had put him on the spot? He'd declined putting on music when Keith had offered him last night, too.

"Actually, maybe I'll show you some of my favorite songs!" Keith suggested, smiling when he saw Lance instantly relax into his seat with a small nod.

Maybe Lance just didn't like having to suddenly do stuff like that, or maybe it was something else. Whatever the case, Keith was taking note of it so that he could make their outing go as smoothly as possible. As much as he wanted to know more about Lance, his top priority was just having fun today; and he planned on doing just that.

***

Once they arrived at the mall, Lance seemed more comfortable, and he even lead the way inside with enthusiasm. It made Keith's insides swell as he watched him from behind, trusting that Lance knew where he wanted to go since he seemed very fashion savvy.

"Keith! Can I go in this one?" He asked, stopping and pointing at a store named 'Balmera'. His eyes were sparkly and pleading, and even though it was incredibly cute, it still made Keith frown a little.

"You don't need to ask my permission. Go ahead! I'm trusting you to show me all the good places, you know." He chuckled.

Lance's face fell a bit at that, as though he were confused, but he recovered with a smile as quickly as always. "Okay!" Keith trailed behind as they entered the store, eyes fixated on the back of Lance's head.

He was starting to notice a trend, even since last night, where he would say stuff that would make Lance look confused. It didn't quite make sense to him just yet, but he was doing his best to take note of everything he could about Lance...because he wanted to know him better.

Speaking of a confused Lance, the boy had a hand resting on his hip, looking around with an unsettled expression as Keith walked up to him. "Is everything alright?"

Lance sighed. "I guess it's just been a while since I've been in Balmera. The store looks different and nothing is where it used to be."

"Perhaps I can help?" Keith would've jumped in surprise, but the voice that spoke was so soft that he was simply momentarily startled. A larger woman with short and curly brown hair was standing behind them, worker's uniform displaying the name, 'Shay'.

Keith stepped to the side to let Lance talk to her, but he just avoided eye contact, suddenly seeming smaller and less sociable. It was a bit strange since he was such a social butterfly in the web, but Keith didn't like seeing him look uncomfortable, so he offered his support. "That'd be awesome! We just need some help navigating. Right, Lance?"

Lance blinked in surprise at being brought into the conversation, but he gave a meek nod and stepped forward. "Yeah."

Shay clapped her hands together. "No problem! What can I do for you? I'd be happy to show you the men's spring ware section, or perhaps you're already preparing for summer? Here at Balmera, we have the latest upcoming fashions prepped for-"

"Lingerie."

Both Shay and Keith did a double take as Lance interrupted her, although, Keith was pretty sure he shouldn't have been surprised as Lance repeated himself.

"I'd like to find the lingerie section, if you don't mind."

The three of them remained silent for a good five seconds, prompting another worker to walk over. He looked similar to Shay, only taller with the hints of a mustache. "Is everything alright, Shay?"

His presence snapped her out of her surprise, and she quickly smiled at him. "Yes, Rax. I was just showing these men to the lingerie section."

Rax looked Keith and Lance over once or twice before chuckling and resting a hand on Shay's shoulder. "I can do that for you, Shay! Although, they may want to ask you what girls prefer. That's sorta creepy though. I won't let some guys creep on my sister. Come on fellas, I'll show you the way. So is it just one of you buying your girl something or both of you?"

"It's for work." Lance didn't even hesitate to correct him as Rax froze, mouth falling open a bit. He looked them over again, particularly Lance, before realization settled in.

"Oh. _Oh_."

He didn't say anything more, but just the tone of his voice and the look on his face made Keith suddenly get protective. Luckily, before he could act out, Shay stepped forward while pushing Rax lightly.

"Come! I'll take you. Rax, go help somebody else." She began leading Keith and Lance away without waiting for any answers, and they gladly followed after her, leaving Rax watching from behind. Keith could just _feel_ his ugly judgemental eyes on them. Yes, they were very ugly. They weren't even hazel-colored; they looked yellow, as if the asshole had jaundice or something.

Wow. Okay, Keith was letting anger fuel his thoughts as usual. He shifted his attention to make sure Lance didn't look too down, which he didn't. Maybe he was used to getting that type of response? But if that were the case, couldn't he have just... _not_ said it was for work?

"Here! You should find everything you're looking for in these aisles!" Shay said, stopping and spreading her arm to the side to gesture at the array of different lingerie items - many of which Keith didn't even know what to call. Her face suddenly deflated a bit. "Oh, and...forgive my brother/coworker, Rax. I'm sure you'll look delightful in whatever you buy!"

Lance smiled, which was a welcome sight to Keith. "Thank you."

The soft spoken girl nodded before waving and taking her leave, and Keith couldn't help but watch her rush off, his heart warming a bit at how she'd apologized for her brother. It may have just been customer service, but she seemed like she genuinely disapproved of Rax's words, seeing how she'd stepped in and hurriedly showed them away from him. Keith liked seeing people treat Lance well, since he knew how people treated Lance at the Web.

Speaking of the Web, Keith still had questions for Lance about what it was like working there, and now seemed like a better time than any to ask.

He peeked over Lance's shoulder, watching him sort through panties with a small smile. "...hey," he started.

Lance continued doing his thing, raising a lacy black one in front of his face, completely fixated on shopping. "Hm?"

Keith quickly glanced around before lowering his voice. "You know...you could have just not told that Rax guy. About your work, I mean."

"It's no big deal," Lance assured, folding the underwear and holding onto it. Keith momentarily got distracted from imagining what that would look like on Lance, which wasn't hard since he'd seen him in little to no clothes before, but frustration towards Rax brought him back to their conversation quickly.

"But...the way he looked at you... I mean, I'm not the biggest fan of strip clubs, but I'm not going to go giving judgemental looks...isn't it irritating to you?"

Lance paused his shopping at that, remaining quiet for a few seconds, thinking his words through. Then, he turned to look Keith in the eyes.

"People have a predetermined misconception about stripper life - that it's a bad thing, some sort of disgusting taboo. But if people want to do it, whether for fun or if they're just doing it to get by, who are others to judge that? It just says more about the person doing the judging than it does about the stripper. I don't find it irritating when people judge; I find it unfair." Emotion was quickly seeping into Lance's eyes like a dark fog, and it almost seemed like he wasn't even speaking to Keith anymore. "That's why I don't care about saying stuff like that in public. They can go ahead and draw their own conclusions. See how much I care now."

He fell silent, so that the two of them were just standing opposite each other, processing those words for a bit. Then, in classic Lance fashion, he brightened up. "I'm sorry for that word vomit! I just...I'll go look at more panties over there." He bowed his head a bit before hurrying off.

Keith was reflecting on Lance's words religiously, and he had to admit, he agreed with him. Keith always reminded himself that he didn't know what circumstances people had for working in the sex field, and thus, he had no right to judge them.

He also admired Lance for not being afraid of what people thought of him. It was yet another side of Lance that Keith was allowed to see, and it helped him better understand Lance's life as a stripper.

_They can go ahead and draw their own conclusions. See how much I care now._

That line made Keith slightly uncomfortable. It had felt like Lance was saying that to somebody specific...but right now, he wanted to try bringing the mood back up. After all, the main priority today was to have fun.

He walked over to Lance and, upon seeing a panty with strange designs, pointed it out. "Look! This one literally has a shark on it!" He chuckled. "Who designs underwear with sharks?" To his relief, and joy, Lance joined in on his laughter.

"That _is_ a rather interesting choice of design for lingerie. Balmera has literally everything! The shark is cute, though."

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Cute? Do you like sharks?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I, uh...I like most ocean-related things," he admitted, looking strangely and adorably bashful, as though he were embarrassed to say something like that.

"That's awesome! Oh, but uh…" Keith suddenly felt bad for making fun of it. "...are you gonna get it?"

Lance finally looked up at him, observing his face for a second or two before bursting into laughter. "What? Why would I get it? It's so...oh my gosh!" He stopped talking to continue laughing for a brief moment. "It's...it's a shark…! It doesn't matter how much I love sharks, I'm not going to put one on my...! Oh my god…!"

Keith suddenly felt like shoving his face into a pillow and then stuffing it under several rocks. Not only did he feel embarrassed and dumb, but Lance just looked so cute laughing the way he was, and it wasn't doing his already-red face any favors. "O-okay...I just wanted to make sure!"

"Even...even if putting animals on sexy lingerie _was_ a socially acceptable fad, I still would never do it!" Lance slowly calmed down from his laughing, rubbing at his eyes a bit and finally sighing. "I'd rather not mix my love for the ocean with stripping."

Well, that was pretty understandable. Keith couldn't see himself ever bringing his love for racing into his studying or anything.

A thought suddenly hit Keith, and he couldn't help but to blurt it out. "Wait! What about seashell bras? I mean, those must totally be 'in', right?"

He could see in Lance's eyes that he was taking a moment to imagine it before the tan boy broke into another laughing fit, although Keith wasn't as embarrassed this time since that'd been his goal.

"Thank the lord you're not in the fashion business!" Lance breathed out, clutching his sides as he leaned back against the wall. Keith chuckled with him, and he was about to agree, because honestly he would not survive the fashion business, when Lance's giggling suddenly resulted in the cutest little snort Keith had ever heard since last night at the restaurant.

Lance's face immediately flushed red as he fell dead silent, eyeing Keith with round, guilty doe eyes.

Keith was just as red as he was, and he could feel the heat in his cheeks and his head. "So cute."

He must've gotten really lost in the moment, because he didn't even realize he'd said that out loud until Lance turned his back to Keith in embarrassment.

Damn. Keith would've been flustered too if not for how cute Lance looked trying to handle his embarrassment. He was hugging himself lightly, refusing to look at Keith, and when he spoke, his voice was soft, as though he didn't trust his own voice.

"...let's keep going, shall we?" He walked further into the shop without waiting for an answer, and Keith could only stare after him in a bit of a daze, shaken by how Lance just got cuter every time they spent time together.

_So cute_.

***

After a hasty trip through most of Balmera's lingerie aisles, Keith followed Lance to several other stores; many of which he didn't even know existed. Seriously, why was there a store dedicated to selling socks? Sure, that was convenient for customers, but there was no way Keith could believe that business was successful.

It didn't take too long for him to lose track of how many different stores they visited, but he did keep track of time, and right now they had roughly two hours' worth of bags on their hands. Keith was carrying most of it per his own insistence, and honestly, he was starting to regret it a bit. Luckily for him, Lance's next destination was a bench next to a fountain.

"I'm sorry, just tell me to stop shopping and I will," Lance said, brows furrowed as Keith set the bags down and sunk into the bench.

"Oh, no, don't worry about it! I volunteered, remember? You're fine. But a quick break like this might be helpful." He tossed Lance a reassuring smile, prompting him to calm down a bit and take a seat next to him. "So! You were saying something before about the music in that other store?"

Lance rubbed his arm, chuckling a bit. "Yeah. It was one of my favorite songs; 'I won't give up' by Jason Mraz. I actually know how to play it on guitar."

If Keith had any type of food or drink in his mouth, he would've choked on it as he straightened up on the bench. "Wait, wait, wait! You can play guitar?!"

The sudden attention startled Lance, making him laugh nervously. "Uh...yeah, I can. I mean, I'm not that good, and I can't play a ton of songs, but I have some skill with it."

As much as Keith wanted to know about and understand Lance's stripper life, he much preferred getting information like this; hobbies and talents of Lance's that were just him, like his love for sharks. "That's so awesome...I don't have much musical talent. As you know, my expertise is with racing...oh! Hey! I have an idea!" Keith slammed his fist against his palm, suddenly inspired. "How about we make a deal! I'll take you racing at the track! In return, you have to play a song for me on guitar. How does that sound?"

Lance's eyes widened as Keith looked over at him expectantly, smiling. It really had been a long time since he made an effort to go out with anyone other than Shiro or Matt, but he wanted to do this with Lance. He wanted to see more of him...but he wasn't sure how Lance would respond. He looked traumatized from Keith's suggestion, honestly. Maybe it had been a mistake…

"Of course, don't feel pressured to accept or any-"

"No!" Lance interrupted, face flashing with a bit of panic. "I-that's not...I mean...I want to race again…" His voice was soft, and he avoided making eye contact.

Joy surged through Keith at that. "Really? I'll take you, then! We can go next time your work schedule aligns with when the track is open at night!"

Lance's lips curled up slightly, showing a bit of excitement, and that just fed into Keith's excitement. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! It'll be fun!" Keith assured, for some reason feeling increasingly satisfied with himself the more he saw Lance smile.

"...if you say so." Lance began to shuffle through the clothes in one of his bags, as if not knowing what else to say, and Keith found it super cute. Honestly, he found almost everything Lance did super cute. Maybe that was why he enjoyed spending time with him.

He leaned back into the bench, just watching Lance through his peripheral vision, when suddenly, a table situated on another side of the fountain caught his eye. There were young students and older chaperones alike, and the sign at the front told him that it was charity work of some sort.

"...hey, Lance, I'll be right back," he said, quickly getting up and walking over after hearing Lance utter a small 'okay'. There wasn't much of a line or crowd, which just broke Keith's heart, but at least that allowed him to step to the front of the table without having to wait.

"Hello, sir!" A teenage girl greeted him from behind the table.

Keith couldn't stop the smile that spread on his face as he looked at her and the younger girl sitting to her side. "Hey. How's your day been?"

"It's been fine! Donations have been going alright, so that's something. Speaking of donations, would you like to offer support to the Child's Hope's Charity? The money is all being used to provide aid and relief to those without a home or a family."

The younger girl nodded, speaking with enthusiasm. "Yeah! We're gonna make the world a better place!"

Keith's smile spread even wider, and he already had his wallet out as he went through his money. "That sounds wonderful...the work you're doing here is very noble and appreciated, ladies. You should be proud of yourselves." They beamed at him as he offered his donation, heart swelling with pride for these girls. They were so young, and yet, they were already doing what they could to help others...unlike Keith, who was just trying to make up for things by starting now.

They exchanged their goodbyes before he walked back to Lance, who had been watching him the entire time. He looked...strangely captivated.

"...you really are just a good person." Lance didn't seem to mean to say that out loud, but he did, and it caught Keith off guard; especially since he was hearing it from Lance.

"Wha…? What do you mean?"

Lance blushed a bit and looked down, which was fine with Keith since he was also avoiding making eye contact. "I...I just mean...how you went to donate just now, that was...really nice of you."

Keith pursed his lips together, part of him telling him not to go into his insecurities and the other telling him to correct Lance. Naturally, he went with the latter, always the type to speak up. "No...it isn't like that. I mean, it isn't because I'm 'good' or anything. They were raising money for kids who are without a home or a family, and...I never had a family as a kid, either, so I could relate. That's really the only reason I did that." His eyes wandered over the bags of clothes to keep himself distracted, wondering if Lance's view of him would change, although he didn't even know what that view was to begin with. If he really did think of Keith as being good just because of this one thing, though, then...that was just incorrect.

"You're studying to be a pediatrician, right? To help kids? Doesn't that make you...good?" Lance asked, pausing at the word 'good'.

Hearing Lance bring up his desired profession made Keith wince. "Being a good person and trying to be a good person aren't the same thing. I mean...I _want_ to help people, but I'm not really qualified to do it, you know?"

Lance watched him expectantly, staying silent and waiting for him to elaborate; so he did.

"I mean, I'm not perfect or anything, and I never was. I still need a lot of help myself, so that kind of means I don't have the right to be offering help professionally…" He sighed, having not expected to take such a self-depreciating turn on this...outing...with Lance. He didn't normally go around letting his doubts come to the forefront - things had just escalated here from Lance bringing up him trying to become a pediatrician. "...sorry about that, I know, it's kinda pathetic. You probably don't want to hear all-"

"It makes sense though, doesn't it?"

Keith gasped inaudibly as Lance cut him off, and he pulled his eyes away from the bags to look at the other boy. "...what?"

Lance's face had a look of sincerity on it. "What I mean is, that's _why_ you want to help people, isn't it? Because you know what it's like? Like you donating money because you understand their cause. If you needed help and understand what that's like, then that's why you want to help others who are like you. Right?"

Keith wasn't sure if Lance was trying to raise his spirits or if he was genuinely looking for answers to his questions as he tried to rationalize Keith's messy mind, but whatever the case, his words shook Keith to the core. He heard things similar to this from Shiro all the time, and while it did always make him feel better about himself, he still never felt like he was qualified to be someone who others could look to for help, since he himself still had growing to do. But Lance was right...he wanted to help others so they wouldn't ever have to feel like him.

He was speechless and in awe as he stared at Lance, who had just described everything that drove Keith to do what he did. He hadn't said it word for word, but he'd practically repeated what Shiro always told Keith, which was that it was okay for him not to be perfect. And it wasn't that Shiro's words had lost meaning over time; it was just shocking to be hearing this from someone else.

"...Keith?" Lance's voice snapped him out of his daze, and he expected red to creep up his cheeks...but it didn't. There was no embarrassment. There was only awe for Lance. There was only the quick beating of his heart that just doubled every time he replayed Lance's words in his head. Keith hadn't felt the way he currently did in a long time.

"S-sorry, I…" He cleared his throat. "...thank you, Lance. You're right. That's exactly why I want to become a pediatrician, or just someone who can help others in general. Sorry about...you know. Sorry." He felt like an idiot for getting all sentimental, but when Lance smiled the way he did, shutting his eyes in delight, he decided it was worth it.

"Aww, it's okay! I thought it might be something like that." He giggled, and Keith's heart began to pound even faster.

He may have just gone through an existential crisis about his drive for wanting to help people, but right now...he was sure this was a situation where he was the one who needed help...

...because Keith was positive he would die of a heart attack if Lance kept smiling the way he was.

***~Lance~***

Lance was completely shaken to the core by what he'd just witnessed and the things he'd just learned about Keith. The thought that Keith still had some ulterior motive for spending time with him had crossed his mind many times, but now, he could see that Keith was just such an inherently _good_ person. Sure, he could always just be putting on a show of being nice to Lance just for personal benefit, but seeing him donating to charity was something else. There was nothing for him to gain there. He was giving away his own money at the expense of others...and then, of course, there was all the confessions Keith had just spilled.

Honestly, Lance had never had anybody talk to him about their personal insecurities and feelings of self doubt. It was usually all just physical satisfaction of some sort that people wanted from him, or in Hunk and Pidge's case, they wanted his company...or something. He still wasn't quite sure about them, but he at least knew that neither of them ever opened up to him about their emotions.

It didn't make sense for people to show sensitivity in front of Lance if they were just planning to use him, which was why he'd never heard somebody talk to him about this stuff before...but here was Keith, opening up to him and telling him things that he wasn't even sure he should be hearing, and Lance was sure of it now; Keith was unlike anybody Lance had ever met before.

Just seeing how much Keith wanted to help other people was eye opening, and hearing the reason behind it only shed more light onto Lance's view of him. He'd said he didn't have a family, and while Lance wasn't sure if that meant he was an orphan or not, he understood the implication was that Keith wanted to help people due to his past. Hearing him talk about how imperfect he was and how he still needed help gave so much insight into why he was how he was, and Lance was pretty sure he would've been able to see straight through Keith's body if he'd revealed any more about himself.

Keith just wanted to help people who were like him. That was it. That was all there was to it, and the more Lance let that sink in, the more he felt he could trust that Keith was genuine. After all, the guy was willing to donate to children and was dedicating his life to help people as a pediatrician simply because he didn't want people to hurt the way he had in life. Maybe...maybe he was willing to put up with Lance, too. Maybe he was actually spending time with Lance just for him.

"Hey, did you wanna start heading out? I know your shift starts soon," Keith suggested.

Lance quickly glanced at the nearest clock. "Oh, yeah, sure!" They began grabbing their clothes bags, with Keith insisting that he carry most of them, and Lance couldn't help but smile fondly.

Maybe Keith, for whatever reason, genuinely wanted to be around Lance without an ulterior motive.

_Maybe, maybe, maybe..._

***

By the time they pulled into the Web's parking lot, the sun was already beginning to recede into the horizon, blanketing everything in the dim gold of sunset. It almost seemed like a routine for Keith to get out and open Lance's door for him, and honestly, he was beginning to think maybe he wouldn't mind it being routine.

They stood opposite each other just outside Keith's car, having already sorted through who's bags belonged to who. Lance wasn't exactly sure what to say, so he just stood still until Keith broke the silence.

"...I had fun today."

Lance rubbed his arm sheepishly, clothes bags weighing down on him a bit. "Yeah? I did, too." To his surprise, he was being serious. It was mind blowing, honestly. Before last night, the concept of 'having fun' was something he couldn't understand - at least, not in a nonsexual way - so the fact that he could say he had fun seemed like something straight out of a fairytale; even moreso since he had had fun on today, April 23.

Keith was also rubbing his arm now, as if he were copying Lance's mannerisms. "So...would you like to go out sometime again…? Or, we can talk about it some other time, like we can text about it. I mean, if you want to!"

Lance's lips curled up in amusement at Keith's dorky rambling, and he couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Keith! Didn't we already talk about this?"

"Well, yeah, sort of, I guess. I mean, I said I'd take you racing whenever our schedules aligned, but...you know, just wanted to make sure…" Keith muttered.

As excessive as Keith was being, Lance found it sort of...endearing? It was cute of him; even if Lance didn't understand why he felt the need to be so assured. "If it's what you want, just text me your plans, and…" Lance cast his eyes downwards, feeling a bit embarrassed since he'd never made plans like this before. "...and we'll decide on something."

Despite the sun getting lower, Keith's face only got brighter. "Alright! Great! It's a date, then!"

Lance's head immediately perked back up to stare at Keith, somehow thrown for a loop just by that one simple word. _Date_.

Keith took a step back, and Lance could practically see the nervous sweat dripping down his forehead. "Uh, I didn't mean it in an implicative way! I just meant...you know, like, a date, as in an appointment, that kind of thing! I'm sorry if that was awkward," he muttered the last bit in a much quieter, apologetic tone.

His clarification didn't lessen Lance's confusion whatsoever. For whatever reason, hearing the term 'date' was like a wakeup call, and Lance was suddenly questioning everything. Or, well, he'd always been questioning it, he'd just never verbally questioned it...but now seemed like a better time than any. "Hey...why do you say that?"

A look of regret immediately seized Keith's face. "S-say what?"

Lance was frowning now. "Why do you say you want to go somewhere again? Why...why are we doing this?"

Keith's eyes softened, and the panic left his face. "Oh. It's because...well, because I like it. I like having fun with you, and…" His face reddened as Lance leaned forward a bit expectantly. "...and...I like you, too. Not in like, a weird way or anything! I just mean, I think you're sweet, and you're a breath of fresh air from studying, and you're also super cute-ah! Shit! I mean-!"

Lance's eyes got wider and his heart beat faster with every word that left Keith's mouth, desperately trying to digest what he was hearing. For some reason, it made him...happy. His chest was swelling, and while he still didn't fully understand Keith's reasoning, he did understand that it was the truth. He was sure of it. After seeing Keith donating today and listening as he opened up about his insecurities, Lance knew there was something different about Keith. At the very least, he wanted to believe there was...because today was the anniversary of the day he was abandoned. Today was the day he was going to decide if he was allowed to break free from his chains...he had to at least try. So, with that in mind, Lance held his breath, took a literal and metaphorical step forward, and gently pressed his lips upon the cheek of an unsuspecting Keith.

Time froze for a moment, with Lance becoming increasingly aware of just how hard his heart was drumming against his chest. Kissing wasn't something he did too often since it wasn't a necessary act in having sex, and cheek kisses _definitely_ never happened, so this was new for him.

Keith didn't pull away or move whatsoever, so Lance kept his lips pressed to his face for a good five seconds before leaning back and looping his arms behind his back. When he got no reaction, he immediately started to assume the worst, that he'd perhaps gone too far or rushed it or something. After all, he didn't know what he was supposed to do in this situation.

"Um, sorry if that was uncalled for…"

"What? No, no, no, no!" Keith exclaimed quickly, raising his hands in protest. "That wasn't...I mean, I just...I liked it."

Lance slowly looked up to see Keith's face, rosy from blushing, and he couldn't help but think that this was the strangest thing ever. Somebody was blushing because of him, and while his normal reaction was to say Keith was a total virgin, he knew it was something else. He knew...because his own face was heating up, and his insides got all tingly when Keith gave him a reassuring smile.

He had wanted to continue spending time with Keith so that he could understand why the thought of having 'fun' with him, like when they raced against Rolo, made him feel the way he did. But now...he just felt more confused than ever.

"Oh, uh, it's probably nearing time for you to get ready for work, huh?" Keith looked like he regretted changing the subject, but Lance was thankful for it in a way. He was still so unfamiliar with all of this…

"Yeah, I guess so. It was, uh…" He hesitated to speak his heart, but another look at Keith somehow reminded him that he wanted to try. "...it was nice, shopping at the mall today."

Keith gasped just loudly enough for it to be audible before smiling. "Yeah. I had fun, too."

They spent another minute just standing in front of Keith's car, silently looking at each other, before Keith cleared his throat. "I'd better let you go now, huh?"

Lance giggled and took a few steps back. "Yeah. Bye, then!" He waved with small wiggles of his fingers, and Keith copied him, just like he had when saying goodbye the night before. Lance giggled even more, thinking that it looked super weird when Keith did it.

"I'll text you, promise! Have a good rest of the night!" Keith shouted before getting into his car and pulling out of the Web.

A sigh overtook Lance's body as he watched the Red Lion driving away against the sunset. It made for a breathtaking scene straight out of a painting, fire coloring the sky, and the beauty just reminded Lance of everything he'd experienced today.

_Today_.

He slowly took his phone out and went straight to the calendar, mood dampening. April 23.

He switched over to his photos and started scrolling, a bit of anxiety biting at his insides. Surely there was no harm in just looking at pictures...right? It was the anniversary of their last day, after all…

Before he could scroll far enough to find any of the pictures he was looking for, his phone buzzed, and to his surprise, a text notification from Keith popped up. Reflex immediately had him checking his messages so that he could reply as quickly as possible.

'Sorry, I was sorta flustered earlier, but I thought I'd at least say, you have really smooth lips!'

All desire to look at photos from his past slowly faded away as Lance's lips curled up into a smile, and he switched to look at Keith's contact info in his phone.

Today, on April 23, the anniversary of the day he'd been left behind, he'd decided that he would see what the world wanted to do with him. And today, on April 23, the anniversary of the day he'd been left behind, Lance had gotten his answer.

He'd spent the majority of his day having fun with Keith and learning that he was an impossibly good person, and even making future plans! He wasn't sure if he was just naive or if Keith really was as genuine as he seemed, but he at least wanted to try. He had to at least try for today…

And it seemed, at the end of the day, that things had worked out. Maybe the world was letting him know one year of suffering was enough. Maybe the world was letting him know it was okay to take steps forward.

Maybe, the world was letting him know there _was_ a key to his heart. It was a strange and unbelievable thought, but it felt so freeing all the same.

And so, with that in mind, he deleted Keith's contact name on his phone and renamed him, smiling to himself in content.

'KEYth'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ['I won't give up' by Jason Mraz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cNhpIzUreI&list=PLO_7NFef4Py_tWWauFJ0JZ1eSHUqWyKP6&index=2)
> 
> Okay, so, I was pretty excited for this chapter, because here, we finally see that Lance isn't your typical 'I'm gonna wallow in despair' type of character. It's been a year; he genuinely wants to move on. He wants to get better. You know how some people wait until New Years to make a New Years resolution for their life and stuff? That was basically Lance waiting for April 23. He's by no means a weak person, he's just hurt, but he actually wants to try to get better and we see here, he _is_ trying. And since everything is going so well, that means things are going to just keep being happy and working out from hereon out, right? Right? RIGHT?!


	6. On the right track

Romantic intimacy had never been a big focus for Keith, simply because he always felt he needed to improve himself before he could look to commit himself to a relationship. That said, it wasn't like he was actively trying to stay away from romance, either. If it happened, it happened - that had been his philosophy for a while now. And, well...something had most certainly happened.

He and Lance had been seeing each other for over a week now, with Keith paying nightly visits to the Web to steal some of Lance's time just to talk. Lance seemed to understand that he only came to talk, now, too; there were no more expectations for sex. Most of their interactions took place in the club due to their schedules, and while Keith still wasn't any fonder of strip clubs than before, he tolerated it to see Lance.

They both wanted to spend more time together outside of the Web to have fun, but the opportunities were scarce. Sure, they'd gone out two more times since the mall date, and they texted much more often than a customer would a worker, but Keith had still never been able to fulfill his promise to take Lance racing again...that is, until now.

The Web of Sins was already in sight, and he was having difficulty keeping his chest from bursting open like a piñata of excitement as he pulled into the parking lot. They'd been planning this night for what seemed like ages, and honestly, it was all Keith ever talked about. He'd lost count of all the times he promised Lance they would go racing together at his track, and now, they finally would.

Excitement and giddiness made him move fast as he gave the bouncer his money and entered the Web. He technically could've just waited outside for Lance, but this night had been hyped up for quite a while, and he wanted to make it even more special by personally going in to pick Lance up. Losing a few dollars to the entry fee was worth it.

The club seemed to be leaning towards warmer colors tonight - reds and oranges taking prominence over the usual purple and blue. The pop music was a nice deviation from the more frequent techno tunes that usually played, as well.

This was how Keith taught himself to stay sane with so many frequent visits to the club; by focusing on the positives, since the club did have some pretty neat aesthetics to it. Well, that, and by focusing on anything other than the dozens of men ravaging other men as far as the eye could see. It wasn't like he'd been doing this for a long time, but he'd trained himself pretty well by now to only focus on what he wanted to see. That's why it wasn't too hard for him to spot Lance, already dressed in his attire for going out, making his way past the bar towards where Keith had just entered.

Keith couldn't help but smirk to himself, proud to say that he totally had the timing of Lance's shifts nailed down. Lance had spotted him, too, and Keith was going to call out in greeting when he saw an older man slap Lance on the ass as he walked past.

Suddenly, a civil greeting was off the table, and Keith was already storming forward, brows narrowed as he pictured the seven different ways he could mess that man up and make him regret touching Lance without permission. Fuck, it disgusted him to no end.

Lance met him halfway, though, and the look in Keith's eyes must've given away his anger and loathing, because he wrapped his arms around Keith to steal his attention. "Hey, come on, you can't just go starting stuff in the Web. Aren't you at least going to greet me?"

Keith grumbled and shifted his gaze to Lance, anger fading a bit due to how cute and calming the boy looked. It was like his blue eyes were pools that cooled down his anger, and he took a deep breath, focusing on Lance's arms on him. "...but he can't just go touching you like that. He should be taught a lesson…"

Lance let out one of his angelic giggles, gently poking Keith's chest and risking a glance back at the man who had become Keith's mortal enemy in just the span of ten seconds. "We're in the Web, Keith! Technically, he didn't do anything wrong."

"Touching you without permission is wrong," Keith insisted. "Especially the way he did it." Obviously, Keith knew Lance got touched by a bunch of men all the time, and he was still working on learning to deal with that, but seeing someone touch Lance without permission was a different game entirely; one that Keith wasn't willing to play. "Just let me make it clear to him."

He tried walking forward again, but Lance got in his way more, looking up thoughtfully. "You're so dramatic...fine. But you don't need to go make a scene. Why don't we just...show who I belong to?"

"What? You don't belong to any-" Before Keith could finish, Lance had wrapped his arms around Keith's neck and pressed his lips to Keith's, completely interrupting all of his thoughts and rendering his body a motionless vessel of shock and elation. There was no messiness to the kiss - just one pair of lips against the other for a good five seconds before Lance pulled away with the most innocent yet mischievous of smiles.

"There. That oughta send a message."

Keith took a moment to gather himself, still amazed at what had just happened. He knew Lance was a very physical person, so stuff like this was bound to happen without much warning, but still...wow.

Due to his state of awe, they just stood in the middle of the club for a while, with Lance examining Keith as his lips slowly but surely curled up into a grin. The old creep was looking away from Lance now, and yeah, as impromptu as that kiss had been, it had definitely felt better than just resorting to violence. Keith had a streak for letting his anger get the better of him, in fact that had been the whole reason Shiro and Matt had sent him to the Web in the first place, so whenever he found a peaceful way to satisfy his temper, it always felt like a win for him. Plus, he'd just gotten a kiss from Lance. This night was already off to an amazing start.

"Hey...not to rush you or anything, but did you wanna get out of here? I've been looking forward to tonight." Lance poked his arm a few times, and Keith immediately snapped back to reality, happiness welling up inside of him upon hearing that Lance had been looking forward to racing.

"Yeah! Come on!" Without even thinking, he grabbed Lance's hand so they could walk out together, saying their goodnights to the bouncer and walking to his car. Adrenaline was already pumping in Keith's veins, and the night had only just begun!

As usual, he opened the passenger door for Lance, but Lance paused before getting in, eyes going round with concern. "You didn't have to come in to get me, you know. Didn't it just waste your money?"

Having Lance worry about him was always really cute, and Keith had to hold himself back from doing something stupid like trying to kiss his forehead. "It did cost money, but I certainly wouldn't call it a waste." He smiled reassuringly. "By the way...that kiss back there…"

"Did you like it? Showing me off?" Lance giggled, trailing a finger against Keith's arm lightly, as though he just couldn't help but be seductive. "You can show me off more to the other racers. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Keith was taken aback at that, not particularly fond of the idea of 'showing Lance off' like he was some sort of item, but he didn't comment on it as they got in the car and started towards the track he and the others in his racing 'clique' used.

"So, when we're at the track, if they use the name 'Red Paladin', just know that that refers to me. I'm the Red Paladin, my beauty's the Red Lion, it's a great time."

Lance laughed, leaning against the door. "'Red Paladin'? Is that like a stage name, like how mine is BabyBlue?"

Keith had never drawn a comparison between racing and strip dancing before, but if it gave him something in common with Lance, then he didn't mind. Besides, he wasn't wrong. "Yeah, I guess it sort of is!" He risked a quick glance at Lance to take in his smile, and just seeing the genuine excitement on his face made Keith that much more eager to do this. One week ago, it still felt like Lance was forcing himself to be around Keith...but now, ever since their time at the mall when Keith opened up to Lance, things felt much more...natural between them.

"We're going to have a blast, trust me! I'm actually the top racer there! No one else has ever beaten me and Red in a race, you know!"

Lance giggled more. "Keith, you've already told me all this!"

Heat crept up Keith's cheeks as he remembered that he had indeed told Lance all of this during their first 'date' at Garret's Grill. "Oops! Sorry! I, uh...forgot." He mentally scolded himself for getting ahead of himself and wanting to hype up the night even more, but then again, his repetitive rambling had made Lance smile and giggle, so maybe his embarrassment was worth it. Still, he'd rather steer attention away from the fact that he was the most excited one despite having raced tons of times, so he turned on his music - specifically, his 'Lance playlist', which consisted of songs he'd come to learn Lance enjoyed.

As soon as the first song started, Lance's head bolted up to stare at him. "Is this Jason Mraz?"

Keith grinned at the cheerfulness in Lance's voice. "Sure is! Don't think I've forgotten about your guitar skills and stuff. I'm looking forward to you playing for me one day!"

Lance gave a light chuckle that differed from his usual giggling. It was just as cute, but there was a bashfulness to it that made Keith want to compliment him over and over again just to hear it.

"Yeah…me too."

Keith grinned from ear to ear, already excited for the many things they could look forward to after tonight; things like playing music and meeting each other's friends and just having fun in general. He didn't want to get too ahead of himself, though, so he kept his excitement to himself and just let Lance silently slow dance while gazing into the window like an adorable kitten.

It was funny, really. The more Keith got to know Lance, the more he proved that he could be the most popular sex worker at a club and the most talented pole dancer out there, and it wouldn't matter; he was still the purest being Keith had ever known and ever would know.

***

There was no large greeting house of any sort at the racetrack - just a drive-through booth that lead to the parking area where the guys hung out when there wasn't a race going on. The man running the booth grumbled as Keith pulled in, immediately recognizing his car.

Keith was reminded just how much he loved it here every time he came. The track was one of the few things that gave him relief from constant studying, although just recently, Lance had become another escape from school.

Lance looked around a bit before turning to Keith for an explanation. "Wait, is there no entry fee to use the track? We can just drive right on in?"

A smirk plastered itself on Keith's face, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't been waiting for Lance to ask that. "Actually, you're right. Everyone has to pay...everyone, that is, except for me. You see, the track has a rule that the top racer gets to use the track for free, and, well, let's just say I'm the one holding the crown." He grinned at Lance proudly, and his reaction didn't disappoint.

"So then...wow! No joking this time; I guess you really are hot stuff! I'd imagine that'd make the other racers jealous of you, though." Lance giggled at the last part.

Keith blushed a bit, feeling smug and pampered. "Oh, yeah. They aren't super fond of me, but hey, it isn't my fault I'm unbeatable." He enjoyed flexing a bit when it came to racing, and having Lance here to boast to just made it that much more gratifying. He wasn't trying to be a gloating dick or anything - he just enjoyed keeping racing exciting and competitive.

There were several other cars already parked around the main lot, with most of the guys out and talking. Conversation quickly stopped when Keith drove in, though, and it felt just like arriving at a party and turning everyone's heads.

Lance was bouncing in his seat, twisting around to take in the entire venue, and it was the most adorable thing Keith had ever seen.

"Hey, come on! Let's get out!" He poked Keith playfully. "After all, you can show me off to those guys who don't like you."

Keith furrowed his brows, still disturbed at the idea of showing Lance off, but he dismissed it, stepping out and grinning at the way the other guys looked at him in resentment as he opened the door for Lance, too.

"Wow...this is so cool," Lance muttered as he followed Keith out, and his awe made Keith chuckle because there really wasn't much to take in.

"Is it? I mean, it's just a vacant parking area. I guess more people showed up tonight than normal, though, so that's something, but just you wait. The real magic happens on the track-"

"Hey! Red!"

Keith grumbled and looked up to see one of the guys approaching with a cocky grin. He didn't know them by name, only by label; Shadow Trail.

"Great. What do you want-?!" Before Keith could kick himself into full competitive mode, Lance quickly latched onto his arm, and his heartbeat sped up as though it were the one racing.

His competitor scoffed at the sight. "So it is true. I was at the Blade of Marmora's bar with Rolo the other night, and he told me about how he met you on the road with some cute new accessory. Guess you brought your trophy with you tonight to gloat, hm?"

A low growl rumbled in Keith's throat as he took a threatening step forward, temper immediately spiking up to a boiling point. His fists were clenched, ready to take out the asshole's crooked teeth if he made one more out-of-place comment. "He's _not_ my accessory, nor is he my trophy, you miserable low life."

The dude _chuckled_ , pissing Keith off more with every second of his existence. "Maybe not after tonight. Tell you what, Red, I challenge you to a race around the track. I've got a new set of sturdier tires and upgraded my short shifter, so I figured I might as well do everyone a favor and relieve you of your free pass into the track."

Keith's competitive flare was already heightened by his anger, but he didn't smirk or change expressions at all. "You're on," he snarled, which was a more pleasant way of saying 'I'm going to destroy you, motherfucker'.

He started to return to his car when the guy called out again, making Keith grumble in annoyance.

"Hold up! That isn't all." He was grinning, but not at Keith. He was grinning at Lance. "You've been hogging your position, and it's clearly gotten to your head over time, so why don't we shake things up with a bet. If I win…your accessory becomes mine for the night."

A heavy silence sweeped over them, aside from the guys in the background cheering, as Keith took a moment to take in those words. Then, all at once, fury clouded his vision, and racing was suddenly not an option; he was going to give this bastard what he deserved. His blood vessels literally felt like they were cysts of hot lava, bubbling and popping with heat, and his breaths came out more like the hissing of hot steam as he advanced forward and lifted his fist. "You're gonna regret opening your mou-"

"Keith!" Lance's sudden voice was like a sudden splash of cool water to fire, holding him back a bit and drawing his attention down to where he was clinging onto his arm harder. "It...it's okay, Keith. I'm okay. I'm okay with it." He smiled meekly. "I'm okay with being bet on."

Keith stared into Lance's eyes, and sure, the vast blueness in them reminded him of pools of cooling water, but that wasn't what quelled the intense fire in his blood. It was the overall look on Lance's face. It was the fact that Lance was telling the truth - he was okay with being bet on. That was what quelled Keith's anger, replacing it with sorrow.

"I believe that you'll win, anyways, so really, it's okay!" Lance pressed on, but the heat was already flushing out of Keith's body, replaced with a mournful determination.

"No." He declared, eyes narrowing. Lance may have been okay with being a betting chip, but Keith was not. He refused to objectify Lance into a prize to be won. "If you need to make a bet, then we'll bet on me."

"Wha? Keith?!" Lance gasped, but Keith continued.

"If I lose, I'll quit racing; period."

Lance backed up a bit at that, and even his prick of an opponent fell speechless. Keith was feeling bolder than ever, though, and his lips finally curled up into a challenging smirk.

"Still confident you can take me?"

***~Lance~***

Lance wanted to whack Keith over the head for the stunt he just pulled, or to at least shove him really hard, but it was difficult to stay upset when Keith was being all protective of him.

He really wouldn't have minded it if they betted on him, since he was used to being with a bunch of different men on a daily basis anyways. Not that it wasn't different being with Keith, because it definitely was, but he didn't want Keith risking his racing career over this…

"I can't wait to wipe that cocky grin off your face!" The guy snarled before stomping back towards his car, and Keith turned to smile at Lance.

"You ready to race?"

Lance's mouth hung open a bit as he stared at Keith, who appeared to be unconcerned with the fact that he'd just offered to give up racing if he lost. "Keith...why?"

That was all he needed to say as Keith reached down to grab his wrist reassuringly, the sudden touch igniting Lance's skin. "Because, I'm not going to just treat you like some trophy that can be tossed around. And besides," he leaned towards Lance, whispering just for dramatic effect. "I have a reputation to uphold. Go big or go home, right?"

Lance's insides melted a little as he gulped, because that was both one of the sweetest and hottest things he'd ever heard. Whenever Keith talked about racing, he always overdid the 'bad boy' persona and usually just came off as more entertaining than anything else, but it was times like these where he got really passionate that Lance found him particularly and incredibly hot.

"...okay." He returned Keith's smile and gave a small nod, letting him open the door for him. He knew by now that it was impossible to have any expectations for Keith since the way he treated him was unlike anything Lance had experienced before, but still...when he did things like this, when he went out of his way to treat Lance like an actual human, it took his breath away every time.

They exited the parking lot to where the track was, and if Lance had been breathless before, he got the wind completely knocked out of him upon seeing it. A straight road stretched out in front of them for a good mile before diverging into a series of curves that weaved themselves into what seemed to be an intricate design of smooth, black pavement. It was all so structured it looked unstructured, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little nervous, but he had faith in Keith. He knew they would win.

They pulled up to what must've been the starting line before stopping, and Lance turned to watch the other car stop next to them.

"Paint looks new. I guess he went in and got completely revamped." Keith commented.

Lance observed the black armor of the car, but he really couldn't see anything that suggested it was freshly painted. Keith's vehicle expertise continued to impress him to no end.

The window began lowering as Keith leaned towards Lance's side of the car to shout at their opponent. "When the next minute strikes, that's when we'll start!"

He was met with a begrudged agreement, and that was all he needed to hear before he closed the window again, ignoring the mess of 'intimidating' insults that came spilling out of the guy's mouth. Lance found the entire thing incredibly amusing.

"You weren't kidding. They _really_ don't like you." He giggled.

Keith scratched his head and smiled at Lance briefly before committing himself fully to his focused, competitive state again, hands gripping the wheel in preparation. "Yeah, but sorta makes it that much more enjoyable when I beat them, you know?"

Lance figured he'd also do his part to prepare and gripped onto the seat, remembering how fun yet wild the last race he'd been in had been. "No, no, I get it! I sort of relate, even. I mean, I'm the most popular stripper at the Web, and that means I get the most men and money, and _that_ means a lot of the other strippers are resentful of me." He turned to Keith, and they made eye contact. "I guess we have quite a bit in common."

"Oh...yeah. I guess we do." Keith looked Lance over before returning his smile, face tendering up in a way that forced Lance to have to look away.

Just a week ago, he'd come to the decision that it was okay for him to be something other than a fly trapped in a web; it was okay for him to try to experience life all over again. Slowly but surely, he'd been learning what it meant to have fun and to enjoy leisurely things thanks to Keith, but there was still some adjustment that needed to be done. Sometimes, he would look at Keith and just be blown away by how well he treated Lance; so much so that he had to look away. That was what was happening right now. Keith's tender smile promised that he wanted to have fun with Lance, and that was something that was still difficult for him to process.

The sudden revving of an engine shocked him out of his thoughts, and he jumped in his seat a bit as Keith cursed and slammed his foot down on the pedal.

"Shit! Hang on, Lance!" They shot forward roughly two seconds after the other car, quickly closing the distance until they were just barely behind.

This wasn't the first time Lance had experienced such fast action, but that didn't mean he was used to it. He couldn't even scream or yell as he clung to his seat harder than before, heart already pounding as the deafening sound of the two cars speeding against each other rushed in his ears.

He was reminded of why he found racing with Keith so fun; he could feel every inch of his body going tense with adrenaline as the night blurred past them, and it was almost like he existed in a completely different pocket of space, where he and Keith defied the laws of reality and he wasn't able to focus on anything other than how fast they were moving. But of course, that all changed when they hit the first turn.

Keith's car suddenly jerked to the left, and Lance, who had let down his guard to relish in the thrill of the race, suddenly found himself colliding into his door despite his seat belt.

"Ouch! Hey, what…" He trailed off when he saw the amount of turns coming up, and he immediately held onto his seat for dear life as Keith and the car beside them tackled the road neck in neck.

It quickly became too terrifying for Lance to watch what was coming, so he shut his eyes and let out yelps of excitement and terror as he felt them swerving and weaving through the turns.

He felt like he would be thrown from his seat at any second, and even though that was impractical since he was wearing his seat belt, it still made him hug the seat tighter. They might as well have been in freefall down a cliff at this point as they zoomed forward, and Lance swore he could almost imagine that feeling of plummeting downwards so long as he kept his eyes closed.

They made a particularly long turn, and Lance cried out in delight, stomping his feet against the ground like an excited child. This was it. This was the feeling of freedom granted by racing that made him feel so alive, and in a way, this was the embodiment of everything Keith gave to him. He wasn't even looking outside, and yet, he could feel existence itself rushing past them as the wind roared and parted, unable to keep up with their speed. They were streaking down the road, and it was all so intense and fast and unpredictable, but Lance loved every second of it.

He could feel their path opening back up to a straight road, but his heart continued to follow their zig-zagging rhythm from earlier for a good while. Only once the pounding in his chest calmed down a bit did he open his eyes, grinning from ear to ear at the familiar sight of the outside world appearing and disappearing through his window in an instant.

When he looked for the other car, though, he realized with a panic-stricken gasp that they were losing by quite a distance. "Keith, we need to hurry!" He exclaimed, heart picking up pace again. That feeling of just existing and being free was gone, replaced with a competitive fire as he hugged the seat tighter in anxiousness.

"Right!" Keith accelerated, cascading them through the air and towards the car in front of them with a vengeful speed.

Lance turned to giggle at Keith, but halted when he saw the look on his face. His lips were pursed together and he was sweating abnormally, cocky 'bad boy' grin completely nonexistent. In fact, his entire competitive aura was nonexistent, leaving just an air of anxiety and distress.

"Keith…? Ah!" Lance gasped as they suddenly made another turn, having momentarily loosened his grip on his seat. Luckily, it was just a single turn before they were back to a straight road, and Keith had slowed down so the turn was easier...but now they were even more behind.

"Keith!" Lance shouted, risking taking an arm off his seat to point ahead. "What are you doing?! If you lose, you said you'd never race again!"

Keith winced at his shouting, speeding up a bit, but not nearly enough to catch up. "I-I know, but...there are more turns coming up, and...you looked pretty terrified, clinging onto the seat during the turns, so…"

Lance rose an eyebrow, trying to make sense of what he meant. "What? What does that have to…" He trailed off, realization sinking in and quickly birthing irritation. "So you're...going slower for my sake?"

The guilty look on Keith's face told him everything he needed to know, which only increased his anxious irritation. "Keith, you can't lose after your bet! Come on, just go! I wasn't even scared, those turns were super fun!"

"Yeah, but-"

Lance grumbled in exasperation. "I want to race with you, Keith, I want to have _fun_ with you! This isn't fun!"

Keith's eyes widened at that, and he risked a glance at Lance despite the car still moving at at least 70 miles per hour.

Lance gave a small nod of encouragement, meeting Keith's gaze. "This isn't fun. Going fast and feeling free - that's what I love about racing with you, Keith. And besides…" He hesitated, still slightly uncomfortable when it came to talking about his feelings, but he pushed through for Keith. "...I trust you not to put me in danger."

They stared at each other longer than two people probably should when inside of a moving vehicle, which sort of contradicted Lance's previous statement of Keith not putting him in danger, but he decided this didn't count as Keith steeled himself and nodded.

"Okay. You're right. I'm sorry. Hold on!" They picked up speed all of a sudden, and the distance between them and the opposing car started to vanish like a magic trick.

Lance hugged his seat tightly and gave an excited squeal, keeping his eyes open this time as they hit the next turn without slowing down. A part of him was still confused and irritated with Keith, but right now he wanted to focus on the race and on making sure Keith didn't lose the bet and his title, so he pushed his conflicted feelings aside for later and indulged in the thrill of freedom he got from racing.

***

The rest of the race just went on to show how much Keith had been holding back, because all it took was two more curvy pathways for them to catch up before quickly overtaking the other car. They had won by a pretty large margin.

Lance's anxiety over them losing in the beginning seemed so silly now due to the magnitude of their victory, but what certainly wasn't silly to him was Keith's reason for starting so slow in the first place. He had done it 'for Lance's sake'...but...what did that even really mean?

"Thanks for the race," Keith grinned at the other racers and tossed a particularly pointed look at the cocky dude who had challenged them before pulling out and exiting the track. "Man, that was pretty exciting, huh? Say, did you wanna get some drive-thru food real quick? I mean, you probably haven't eaten, so…"

Lance's face twisted in frustration, partly due to the mere mention of fast food, but mostly because he just needed to confront Keith about his little stunt in the beginning of the race.

"Actually, I'm not hungry. Could we…go to a park, instead?"

Keith raised an eyebrow at him. "A park? But it's, like, midnight."

"I know. I just want to stop and talk somewhere for a little bit, that's all." Lance insisted, earning him some curious looks from Keith.

"Yeah, alright. If that's what you want." They started for a nearby park in silence - no music or anything, which set Lance even more on edge. Maybe it was foolish for him to be so caught up on Keith constantly taking hits for him, but he just couldn't understand it.

Keith didn't question why Lance wanted to talk at all, as though he could sense the tight atmosphere, and they just stared forward at the road until they finally pulled into the park. Obviously, they were the only ones there since it was pitch black out.

For a few minutes, the only sound was the chirping of crickets from outside, painting the perfect scene of what silence sounded like during spring. It was clear Keith wasn't going to initiate the conversation since he didn't even know what this was about, but Lance wasn't sure how to start it either. This wasn't something he ever did, after all.

He took a deep sigh and let his inner turmoil speak for him. "...why do you get so...sheltering...of me?" He turned to Keith, who mirrored him with a troubled face and responded almost immediately.

"What do you mean by 'sheltering'?"

Lance paused at that, thinking his feelings through. "Well...like, for example, when you came to pick me up at the Web earlier, and you were ready to assault some guy just for touching me...or when you yelled at the other racer for betting on me…"

"What?!" Keith turned the interior lights on so they could see each other better in the dark, and Lance could detect that same concern in Keith's eyes that he'd seen so many times now. "Is it...is it bad that I do those things? I mean, if I see people treating you badly, I'm not just going to stand by. That's not sheltering, is it? Or...do you not like it?"

Lance panicked a bit, because that definitely wasn't what he meant. He actually enjoyed the examples he'd listed and found them sweet; it was a part of what made Keith who he was. "No, no...I guess I didn't explain well enough. I mean...while we were racing. When you started going slower just because you thought the turns scared me...I just...that's the one thing that got to me. So...why did you do that?"

Keith looked confused at first, but then he gave a wide, sympathetic grin. "It's because that's a very important factor, of course. I mean, if something I do is freaking you out-"

"But what about the bet you made?!" Lance shouted, smacking his fist down on his knee. "You said you'd quit racing if you lost! Would you have? I mean, I wouldn't want you to quit just because you had to slow down for me! Why would you do that?!" He stared at Keith intensely, teeth clenched in anticipation.

Keith's eyes widened at Lance's sudden increase in volume. "Like I said, I don't want to do anything that makes you feel like you're in danger."

"But if you lost because of me, if you had to stop racing because of me, that'd make me feel guilty!" Lance argued. He was more riled up than he'd been in a long time, but it wasn't necessarily because he was angry. No, 'angry' wasn't the right word.

He could see himself in the reflection of Keith's eyes, and the longer he looked, the more he reminded himself of the very man he was looking at. The look on Lance's face was oddly reminiscent of Keith's, or at least, reminiscent of a look that was often on Keith's face - worry. He was worried for Keith.

Keith seemed to see it, too, and he slowly reached forward and grabbed Lance's hand with a sheepish and tender smile...a _very_ tender smile. Just seeing it for a few seconds was enough to send a surge of heat rushing to Lance's cheeks.

"I...I think I get it," he started cautiously. "You're upset because I almost lost my racing privileges to protect you...is that it?"

He squeezed Lance's hand consolingly, and suddenly, it was infinitely harder for him to stay upset with Keith. "Y-yeah, something like that, I guess…" He sighed, sinking down into his seat defeatedly. "I don't even know...I...I don't know a lot of things. I don't understand a lot of things. I guess I just didn't like that you were willing to give up something you love doing...just for me? And I guess I don't understand it, either." Lance's face fell as he grew frustrated at himself for not understanding anything. "I just...don't know what I'm doing. I'm sorry…"

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey," Keith spoke quickly, reaching out until he was squeezing Lance's hand in both of his. "You don't need to be sorry. I mean, after all, I don't know what I'm doing either!" He chuckled, and Lance managed to look back up at him with a weak smile.

A few moments passed with them just looking at each other before Keith spoke up again. "If you want to understand, I can try explaining it to you."

Lance tilted his head curiously, not quite sure what he was referring to, but he nodded anyways. He wanted to understand everything Keith did.

"I'm sorry if you felt like I was being too sheltering of you, or if I made you feel guilty because I almost lost. It's just, I really don't want to mess this up…" Keith sighed and turned to face forward. "You know, you make me feel really different. I'm known by most people to have some issues with my temper, and even I'll admit I lash out too much...but you sort of, I don't know, subdue them?"

Lance's heart skipped a beat as he observed Keith's pensive face. "...what do you mean?"

"Well...for example, when that man touched you at the Web. I was ready to lash out, but...you subdued my anger. Same with during the race." He turned to look at Lance again, cheeks a little red. "I guess what I'm trying to say is...I like being around you. I...I think you're good for me, and I want to be around you more...so if I'm treating you like you're too fragile, I'm sorry. I just really don't want to mess this up. I don't want to hurt you."

A thousand suns exploded inside of Lance, lighting him up with flames of embarrassment, disbelief, and unfathomable joy. His head was light after hearing such overwhelming things from Keith, and he was pressed to believe this was all some sort of fever dream. There were no words he could possibly say to convey all of his emotions, so he squeezed Keith's hand back, propped himself out of his seat, and pushed their lips together for the second time that night.

Nobody had ever told Lance they got emotional satisfaction from him before; it was always physical satisfaction. Everybody only wanted him for his body, and Lance was honestly perfectly fine with that since that was his job after all, but hearing Keith say Lance was 'good for him' in an emotional context felt like he was fulfilling a dream he never knew he had. It was strange - it made him happy beyond belief, and he wanted to keep hearing more about it from Keith, but at the same time, it was so unfamiliar that he wasn't sure if should feel this way. He needed more time to understand it...but at least he had an idea, now.

Kissing Keith in this moment made for a good distraction from all his confused thoughts, so he just focused on that, leaning out of his seat more to deepen the kiss. His hands landed against Keith's chest, fumbling against his shirt a bit to heighten the physical intimacy until they pulled away, panting lightly.

Lance's tongue darted out over his lips absentmindedly as he sighed, eyes scaling up and down Keith's body. "You're...really sweet. Keith, I…" He trailed off upon noticing a discreet bulge in Keith's pants, heart leaping.

This was new. It had been so long since Lance had had sex outside of work, and strangely enough, it had barely even crossed his mind to have sex with Keith during the past week of knowing him...but now, just by noticing Keith's arousal, Lance's heart was beginning to speed up. Emotional intimacy wasn't something he understood, but when it came to physical intimacy, it was a much different story.

"Hey…" He slipped into his flirty voice and slid out of his seat towards Keith, who immediately became frazzled and tried to lean away - much to Lance's amusement. "It's been a pretty crazy night, hasn't it? I see someone's been enjoying it, though…" His hands teasingly began sliding down Keith's body, and the humiliated look on Keith's face said he knew he was caught.

"I-it isn't what it looks like...I just, there's been a lot of adrenaline going on tonight, so that's why…"

Lance chuckled. "So that's it. It'd be a pretty virgin move to pop a boner just from one kiss. But then, does this mean you always get hard after a race?"

Keith's face reddened more as he gulped. "N-no! I just...you were there with me, so...I'm sorry. I can handle it when I'm home, so-"

"You don't really think I'm letting you get away from me that easily, do you?" Lance was completely out of his own seat now and was practically straddling Keith, body swaying in a hypnotic rhythm as he grinned. "Come on, what happened to the bad boy from the racing track? You don't need to take care of it by yourself when I'm right here." He grinded his ass down against Keith's crotch and felt his chest swell with even more excitement when Keith winced.

"Lance...really, it's okay. I can take care of it. You don't need to do this."

Lance paused and raised an eyebrow, a bit of frustration prickling at him. Sex wasn't something he tended to get excited for since it was a regular part of his life, so the desire he was feeling right now was new to him and it was frustrating that Keith wasn't picking up on it. "Aww, come on. I know you want it!" He teasingly rolled his hips against Keith's again, prompting Keith to gently push Lance away from his lap.

"No, we shouldn't…" Keith pursed his lips together as Lance's eyes bore down onto him impatiently. "Listen...you don't have to. Like I said, I'll handle it. I mean, I don't want to just take you like everyone else..."

Lance scrunched his face up a bit and placed his hand on Keith's cheek a little too hard. It was basically a gentle slap. "Keith. I. Want. To. Have. Sex." He deadpanned, emphasizing each word with a pause.

Keith's face flushed red all over again, but he shook his head and grabbed Lance's wrist, slowly guiding his hand away from his face. "Lance, no...if we have sex, I'll be just like the other guys at the Web who go there to have sex with you…"

Lance observed Keith's dejected face before sighing. So that was it. "Is this what you meant earlier, when you talked about treating me like I'm fragile and how you didn't want to mess up?"

He was met with just a nod, and it almost made Lance laugh at how restrained Keith was acting. His erection clearly wasn't going anywhere, but he was passing up this opportunity for Lance's sake...except not really, since Lance actually wanted this. He couldn't be annoyed with Keith if he was holding back for a reason like this.

"Keith, it won't be like with other guys at the Web, because I'm actually asking for this, and it isn't for money...it's just, because I want it." He set himself back down on Keith's lap. "I want _you_."

He could see the breath catch in Keith's throat as he let Lance straddle him, eyes trailing up and down his lean, curvy body, and as much as Lance wanted to continue egging him on and encouraging him to fuck him, he didn't. He wouldn't pressure him or anything. He wasn't even sure if Keith wanted to have sex, although he was pretty sure he did. At the very least, Lance wanted to have sex. Physical intimacy was something he was good at, something he could feel good about, and he missed being able to feel that with a person who he felt a connection to.

Keith met Lance's eyes with uncertainty, taking several deep breaths before resting his hands on Lance's sides. "...okay. If you truly want this...I want you, too."

Lance beamed in excitement, surprising himself with how ready he was for this. He lifted his arms above his head as Keith pulled his shirt up and over him, exposing his slender figure. "Your turn now." He winked, helping Keith wriggle out of his shirt, and as soon as he saw the muscles, he realized this was the first time he'd seen Keith shirtless. He certainly liked what he saw.

"I already knew you were pretty gifted down below, but who knew you worked out?" Lance chuckled, pressing their foreheads together as they stared into each other's eyes with lust.

"Well, I've got to say, I'm not surprised by what I'm seeing at all. Of course your body is perfectly shaped - just like every other part of you."

Keith's words sent heat crawling up Lance's cheeks. He'd never been complimented like this during sex before…

"Here, help me remove these." Keith tugged at Lance's shorts, prompting the distracted boy to yelp in surprise.

He looked down and watched as Keith's hands worked with his shorts, heart racing faster and faster by the second. This was new; he'd slipped out of it for just a second, and now, Keith was taking control of the situation before Lance could. He didn't particularly mind letting others do as they pleased with him, but what Keith was doing wasn't making any sense.

"What're you doing? We should get the poor thing out of there, don't you thin - Keith?!" Lance gasped as Keith successfully unbuttoned his jean shorts and pulled them down while sensually feeling up his waist and ass.

"Shhh. If we're doing this, let me make sure you're getting the pleasure you deserve." Keith whispered, freeing Lance's dick from the confines of his underwear.

Before Lance could protest, Keith wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss while his other hand lingered dangerously close to his crotch. Lance had never before in his life experienced what it was like to be the one getting all the attention. It was as puzzling as it was overwhelming, and he was at a loss for words as Keith reached up and turned the lights in the car off.

The sudden switch to darkness just heightened Lance's lust, peculiarly enough - probably because it suggested things were going to get steamier. Keith's hand wrapped around his rapidly hardening dick, pumping it lightly as his tongue traced over Lance's lips.

Soft moans escaped Lance as he squirmed against Keith's touch, sounds muffled by Keith's mouth over his. He wasn't sure what was going on; all he knew was that he was absolutely _not_ in control of the situation right now. Sex was normally Lance granting sexual release to his partner...in fact, he couldn't even remember the last time someone else had touched him like this, and that just made him that much more sensitive.

"K-Keith…!" He arched his back as he felt a thumb swiping across the head of his dick, and his body physically trembled from both how good it felt and how unusually different the entire situation was. He had to wrap his arms around the back of Keith's neck to help stabilize himself as he let out throaty moans straight into Keith's ear and instinctively rolled his hips forward into Keith's hand. "Keith...this is...ah!"

"Shhh…" Keith hushed gently, grinding his hand down against Lance with increasing levels of pressure. His other hand slid down Lance's sweating back until he reached his ass, cupping his voluptuous cheeks and squeezing lightly. "Still think I'm a virgin?" He whisper-growled.

Lance gave a high-pitched whine and bucked his hips more in an attempt to fuck Keith's hand. He was beyond the point of trying to understand it now; all he knew was that what Keith was doing was something he'd never gotten before and it felt amazing, and he wanted more of it. Obviously he knew what it felt like to touch yourself, but to have another person doing it and putting his pleasure before their own was a pleasure all on its own.

"Keith...ah...Keith! It's good...I...I like it…" He confessed in the heat of the moment, burying his face into the nook of Keith's neck and relishing in his scent, relishing in the feeling of their naked chests pressed tightly together, and relishing in the waves of passion and pleasure that rippled up his body with each of Keith's strokes.

Keith's hand went from squeezing Lance's ass to massaging it, pumping his cock faster and harder the more Lance made noise. "That makes me happy. I want you to like it. This is what sex should be like."

Lance twisted to and fro against Keith's body, a constant stream of moans and whimpers escaping him. He'd never known sex to be like this, but he certainly wasn't going to complain about it right now. His dick felt better than it ever had before, and feeling Keith's hand caressing his ass offered him a naughty sense of comfort.

"Keith…" He moaned his name again like it was the only word he knew, thrusting into his hand as lust and desperation began piling up. He'd never approached climax so quickly before. "Keith…" His voice came as more of a warning this time, which only prompted Keith to grip his shaft harder before pumping with ferocity.

The heat kept spiking in Lance's body, overtaking him in spurts and drawing him closer and closer to release...and then, when Keith teasingly slipped his fingers against Lance's entrance, he lost it.

"Keith...I'm…!" He ended his sentence with a sound that fell somewhere between a shout and a squeal, clinging onto Keith's back like it was his lifeline as the heat finally hit its peak, bubbled over his stomach, and shot from his dick.

His body shook with his orgasm as he bucked his hips, riding out his first handjob climax in a long time. The sensations were familiar, but they felt so new - he couldn't remember the last time sex felt this good. His head slumped down against Keith's shoulder as ropes of cum splashed onto his chest, continuously being milked by Keith's hand as he stroked Lance through it. His other hand continued teasing his hole, so that even as Lance's orgasm began to die down, his excitement burned as fiercely as ever.

"Keith...condom...I…" Lance tried reaching for his pants, but it was difficult given that he was straddling and leaning into Keith's body, so Keith did it for him.

"You mean you…?" He reached into Lance's pants and, sure enough, pulled out a condom and a bottle of lube. His face slowly melted into one of confusion as he stared at the items in his hand. "...you were just carrying these with you?"

"I always carry them," Lance admitted, burying his face against Keith's shoulder more. "Just in case."

Keith's hand retreated from behind Lance to cup his cheek and guide his face back so they could look at each other, and whereas Lance was more than ready to let Keith fuck him, Keith's face was reluctant and wary.

"Lance...are you sure you aren't just doing this because I had an erection?"

Lance gave him a sharp glare, prompting him to immediately elaborate.

"I-it's just, I need to make sure. 'Just in case' makes it sound like you've been ready for me to take you just like another man from the Web...and that's not what I want. I want you to want this and I want to show you that sex is more than just giving pleasure to others. So...I need you to tell me the truth. Are you doing this just to try and please me?"

They stared into each other's eyes, and Lance felt a tingling in his chest. While it was a little frustrating having Keith constantly needing validation since Lance just wanted him to fuck him already, he knew it came from a deep place of caring, and that warmed his heart.

"I want it, Keith," he breathed out, hands gripping his shoulders and admiring the feeling of muscles beneath his fingers. "I want it for both of us. You've already made this different and special...now finish. Give it to me."

Keith's breathing picked up at that as he examined Lance's face for any trace of dishonesty. There was a brief moment where Lance thought he was going to try and stop them and he would have to convince Keith again that he wanted it, but then, Keith's hands moved down, and he began making quick work of his tight jeans.

Lance's excitement spiked as he lifted himself up from Keith's lap a bit so he could undress faster. He couldn't believe this was happening. He was having sex outside of work, and he was going to enjoy it. God, was he going to enjoy it.

Each passing second felt like an hour as he impatiently waited for Keith to finish pulling the condom over his cock, which was just as large as Lance remembered it being from when he sucked it during their first meeting.

He was just starting to think back to how strange he'd found Keith at that time and how strange he still found Keith when a pair of fingers prodded at him from behind, drawing out a surprised squeak from him. They were already lubed up.

Keith chuckled. "You're still super cute like this."

Lance's heart leapt at that. Nobody called him cute during sex, it just didn't happen - but he decided he liked it. "And you're - ah!" He cried out again as Keith's fingers slowly slid into him, gently experimenting with his body and giving him time to get used to the entry before wiggling around.

It took no time at all for Lance's body to relax - he prided himself as being a natural at this, after all. Still, Keith treated him attentively, only going further when Lance urged him to. His fingers parted and began making scissoring motions against Lance's walls, stretching them and slicking them up for the main event.

Keith was definitely being overly cautious as he slipped a third finger in and continued stretching Lance even though he knew he was more than ready to take his dick. For Keith's sake, he allowed him to continue preparing him for a while longer, but this was the first time in ages he'd wanted sex, and he could only take so much waiting.

"Keith!" Lance grumbled, nails digging into his shoulder blades and catching his attention. "Fuck me against the steering wheel already."

A part of Lance thought he would have to convince Keith more, but the man instead met him with a grin and quickly began covering his cock with lube. It seemed he understood that Lance really did want this. Good - Lance found it very sweet how considerate Keith was, but he wasn't sure he could deal with constant reassurance during sex. Physical intimacy was a necessity for Lance, and nothing could change that.

"Time to lose my virginity." Keith chuckled at his own joke, and Lance found himself smiling. Humor during sex - now there was a thought. He decided he liked this, too.

He positioned himself above Keith's cock, reaching down to guide the tip to his hole. His heart was pounding against his chest in anticipation, and instead of going down on it, he waited to let Keith make the first move. Keith had spent all night making sure Lance really did want this - he figured he'd make sure Keith really wanted this, too.

Keith felt up Lance's sides appreciatively, almost like he was worshipping Lance's body as opposed to all the selfish, objectifying touches he usually got. When his hands reached Lance's arms, they quickly made their way back down to his hips, capturing them in a firm grip. And then, he began easing his cock into him.

Lance relaxed himself down onto Keith, stabilizing his breaths and focusing on the feeling of Keith's hands on him. He was ready for pain at any moment, since many men he was with enjoyed making him feel some pain, but none ever came, and Keith proved he truly wasn't a virgin as he helped Lance all the way down his cock.

Their eyes met for the hundredth time that night, both of them now fully accepting that this was happening because they both wanted this. Lance's insides were fluttering in ways he hadn't felt for a long time, and, in a bout of passion, he pressed their lips together again.

Kissing wasn't something Lance did too often nowadays since most men just wanted to get to the sex, and it happened even less _during_ sex, so this was something special to Lance as he shut his eyes and indulged in the feeling of Keith's lips against his while his walls adjusted to Keith's size.

Their tongues danced together as Keith lifted one hand to Lance's face, stroking his cheek gently, and Lance keened to all the attention. His hips rolled down against Keith's cock to signify that he was ready for more, had been ready for more, and the fact that Keith got the message and didn't make him wait any longer made him the happiest man alive.

With Keith's guidance, Lance lifted himself up his cock, watching the member exit his body, before briskly going back down.

"Lance!" Keith groaned, his grip getting tighter.

As glorious as this situation was, Lance found himself focusing on the fact that his name had just been spoken during sex. Keith hadn't called him 'slut', or 'whore', or anything of the sort. It was his name he said. Even in the clutches of lust, he called Lance by his name. Keith was so different and always so benevolent to Lance - it was time to pay him back.

Lance didn't wait for Keith any longer. His grip on Keith's shoulders mirrored the ones on his hips, and he flashed him a seductive grin before taking Keith's cock at his own pace.

Sure, Keith was no virgin, but he wasn't Lance. Lance knew what he could take, and he knew how to give pleasure more than he knew how to do anything else. He lifted himself up and down Keith with as much speed as he dared to, never letting the tip leave him when he went up and practically sitting on his balls when he went down.

The groans and gasps of pleasure from Keith were music to Lance's ears, and he made no effort to try and control Lance's movements. He bucked his hips upwards and caressed Lance's thighs, but other than that, Lance was the one driving.

His walls clenched around Keith as he leaned his head back, sweating and panting and fucking himself on Keith's dick with an ardent fire. The pleasure burst through his entire body as he grinded himself against Keith's hips with each plunge downwards, already hard again. He always had good stamina - he had to for the line of work he was in - but he barely even noticed his own revived erection. He was too focused on not only bringing pleasure to Keith, but also on the pleasure he himself was receiving.

"Lance…!" Keith groaned again, thrusting his hips upwards and causing Lance's entire body to shiver upon feeling him brush against his prostate.

Immediately, Lance leaned back until he was resting on the steering wheel, eyes meeting Keith's with encouraging lust. "Fuck me against the steering wheel. Keith, please."

Keith didn't need him to beg any further than that. He repositioned himself beneath Lance, arms wrapping around his torso and helping to support him against the wheel before thrusting his cock back into him.

Lance gasped as he was shoved against the wheel, and he gasped again when Keith's cock went straight to his prostate. "Oh god, Keith!" He threw his head back and began trying to wrap his legs around Keith as he fucked Lance, cock spearing him again and again right where it drove him craziest and showing no mercy in overloading his body with pleasure.

It was unbelievable how Keith could come off as so gentle and cautious and yet turn out to be so powerful and passionate when he got into it, but what was most unbelievable was the way he could still make Lance feel like he was being comforting even while fucking him. His hands were helping to ease the strain on Lance's back from laying against the wheel, constantly caressing his skin, and he gave Lance nothing but pleasure by constantly driving his cock into his prostate. He was one of a kind.

Lance arched his back as the shockwaves of pleasure stacked up continuously with Keith pounding into him, thrusts picking up speed and power with each passing second. Neither of their bodies were going to last much longer; Lance had had enough sex to be able to tell that much.

"Keith…" Lance lifted his head to look at him, but that was the most he could get out before letting himself roll back against the steering wheel like the mess he was, moaning and taking Keith's cock obediently.

Keith began rising out of his seat while still fucking Lance just as hard, moving his body closer and closer and lifting Lance's legs with him.

Lance was too out of it to notice, or rather, to into it to notice. He was quickly approaching his peak as ecstasy overtook his body. His toes curled from around Keith's back, white beginning to cloud his vision. He was getting so close, and he was ready, so ready to release all the pleasure and desire in his body-

His thoughts were cut off as Keith pressed their lips together. He kissed him. He kissed Lance while fucking him, tenderly sliding his tongue inside his mouth and showing something more than just lust. At this rate, Lance's heart was going to burst along with the rest of his body, and he melted completely into Keith, rolling his hips down against his cock and opening his mouth up for him.

His climax was much sweeter than any he'd ever experienced before, the passion heightened by having Keith's tongue exploring his mouth. He moaned against his lips and tightened his legs around Keith's waist as he came for the second time that night, spilling his seed over both their bodies messily.

Pleasure racked his body and left him a puddle of relief and euphoria, and while most of his body began relaxing, his walls tensed even more and clenched around Keith's cock, tightening and increasing the amount of pleasure Keith got until he met the same fate as Lance.

Keith pulled off of Lance's mouth briefly to moan his name, bucking his hips as deep inside of Lance as possible and grinding his way to orgasm.

The feeling of Keith's ecstasy spreading from his body to Lance's set him on fire, and he lifted his head up in a desperate cry. Keith gave him exactly what he wanted, reconnecting their lips and entangling their tongues in a passionate make out session as they came together, relishing in this moment of pure intimacy and intensity.

Lance wasn't even sure when it all came to an end. One moment they were grinding their way through their climax, mouths sloppily coming together as one, and the next, Keith was leaning back into his seat with Lance leaning into his chest for support. Both of them were panting and sweating and were just severely exhausted and spent. It was something else new for Lance - his high stamina had been all but depleted after just one go with Keith. Although, he did get a handjob before having sex, so maybe that was part of it.

Keith's cock slid out of Lance, allowing him to get more comfortable on his lap, and even though their bodies were sticky with sweat and cum, Lance had never felt more cozy.

Neither of them spoke for...a while. Again, Lance was in a daze and his concept of time was just gone, which baffled him. Man, was he looking forward to more sex with Keith if it could do _this_ to him. Eventually, though, Keith did break the silence.

"...so, that was the best half hour of my entire life."

"Half hour?" Lance breathed out, pausing as he realized how out of it he sounded.

Keith shrugged, fingers playing with Lance's hair. "Something like that."

They fell silent again, listening and feeling each other's breaths and heartbeats, letting each other's bodies cool down a bit; although Lance felt like he might just fall asleep if he spent much longer snuggled up against Keith while straddling his lap. Having his hair stroked wasn't helping his fatigue either. He was used to having it pulled, so feeling Keith's fingers gently twirling his hair was incredibly lulling.

"So," Keith once again broke the silence. "After that, I've gotta be even more jealous of the guys at the Web, heh." He chuckled at the end, but even in his hazy state of mind, Lance could tell Keith was just playing it off.

Suddenly feeling protective, Lance lifted his face from Keith's chest to look him directly in the eyes. "If you don't want me having sex with other men, I won't."

Keith blinked in surprise at that. "Oh, no, you don't have to do-"

"I'm serious!" Lance surprised himself with the determination in his voice and his heart. "I won't have sex anymore. I...I don't think I could view it the same way anymore, anyways…"

He gulped, watching Keith intently, not sure what it was he was looking for. Keith just looked completely taken aback, returning Lance's gaze as though he were looking for something, too.

"...are you sure?"

Lance didn't even hesitate to nod. "I'm sure. Honestly, I've got enough money by now, and my performances get me enough. I don't need to have sex anymore." It was strange how easy it was for him to say this when he'd been having sex to make money for several years now. It was almost like he'd been waiting for something to give him a reason to stop…

Keith's face quickly lit up with a smile as he hugged Lance, that still being his natural reaction rather than a kiss. "You don't know how happy that makes me…! Not because you'd want to do that for me or anything. Just...it comforts me and makes me feel like you're being safer, more caring towards yourself, and I just...it makes me happy!"

Lance's heart skipped several beats at that, and he couldn't even respond as he let Keith squeeze him. Keith wanted him to be safe? To care about himself?

In hindsight, it made complete sense, and Lance had always known it; he'd just never put it into words. He wasn't sure if he should feel flattered or just straight up happy that Keith wanted Lance to be better than he was right now...but that was okay. They had time to figure this stuff out. For now, he would just relish in this moment and enjoy thinking about all the future moments similar to this one they might share, so long as they continued on the right track.

"...we should probably get dressed and get you back to your car so we can both get some sleep tonight, hm?" Keith suggested.

Lance lifted his head and looked around, only now remembering they were literally at a park at midnight hours. "Oh. Yeah, that seems like a pretty good idea." He giggled and reluctantly left Keith's lap, dragging his clothes with him to dress in his own seat. Keith offered him a towel that he had in his car for unspecified reasons so he could clean himself.

As they were both bringing themselves back to a state of decency, Lance reflected on what had just happened between them now that his head was clearer. "Keith?" He called out, suddenly feeling the need to give some final reassurance.

Keith's head quickly turned to him like a prairie dog poking out of its hole at the first sound of morning. "Hm?"

Lance giggled on the inside, but he remained sincere on the outside, smiling. "I've never experienced anything like this before. It was new...and amazing. Thank you. For everything."

Time slowed down for them as they stared at each other, and it felt so strange to Lance, sharing a tender moment after just having sex, but he liked it. He liked it a lot...and so did Keith.

"Likewise. You were amazing…" Keith's lips curled into a smile before he redirected his attention to his pant zipper to finish getting dressed. "Parks are going to forever give me some fantastic memories from this point onwards. You ready to go?"

Lance laughed at that, sitting in his seat fully dressed and instinctively pulling his seat belt on. "Let's do it!"

They pulled out of the parking lot, and as Lance looked around at the shadowy scene, empty benches and obscure tree silhouettes, he felt an eerie sense of comfort. He, too, would draw good memories from parks from now on.

***~Keith~***

"I guess this is goodbye for now," Keith said, holding both of Lance's hands in his just outside his car, as was routine for them at this point after every date.

Lance gave him one of his trademark sweet smiles. "Yeah, I guess so. It is pretty late after all."

Despite exchanging their goodbyes, neither of them pulled away. They were staring at each other, squeezing each other's hands, too hesitant to let the night end, and while Keith was impossibly happy that Lance would want to just stand here and hold onto him, he knew they both needed sleep.

"How about I come see you tomorrow. Sound good?"

Lance giggled, giving Keith goosebumps from how angelic he always sounded. "You've visited me, like, every night! Keep it up and I'll begin to get used to it."

"Good. You should get used to it, because it's a part of my nightly routine now." Keith smirked, leaning down and kissing Lance quickly. It was still so crazy to him that they could just kiss like this now without having to make a huge scene out of it, but even if there was no huge scene, it still made his heart flutter each time he got to be intimate with Lance. He was still and probably always would be the most gorgeous man Keith ever met.

"If you say so." Lance's face was so soft as he slowly took a step backwards, fingers sliding against Keith's until they let go of each other. "...okay, then. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"I can't wait!" Keith winked at him, pride swelling in his chest when Lance giggled one last time before waving and walking towards his car.

Keith could only sigh in a dazed state of captivation, leaning against his car. Lance often watched Keith drive off, so he wanted to be the one to watch Lance for once.

"You know, Red, it's so unbelievable...things happened so fast. But...I guess...I'm with him and he's with me now…" Keith muttered, petting Red's roof as Lance pulled out of his parking slot and stopped to wave at Keith through the window.

Keith's first instinct was to check that Lance was wearing his seat belt, which he was. That was a relief. He returned the wave with a wide grin before watching him drive off into the night, sighing dreamily once more.

He stayed leaning against Red for a while before deciding he should also get going. As he got back in the driver's seat, though, it occurred to him that he would never be able to sit there without remembering the first time he and Lance had sex again. Great. He was totally fucked now. Either that, or he was just really, really tired.

A long yawn gave him his answer, and he started up his car and began pulling out of his parking slot. Before he left, however, he caught sight of a fancy looking man leaving through the front of the Web, his elegant suit attire just screaming 'rich boy'.

There wasn't a particularly reason Keith stopped to look at him - his eye had just taken notice of the man's unnatural white hair that went well past his shoulders, not to mention his pale complexion that stood out against his clothes, especially in the dark of the night.

He shouldn't be so surprised. All types of men must've visited the Web - peculiar, rich men included. He didn't give it another thought as he drove off and wrote the man off to the back of his mind, forgetting about him within the next ten minutes.

He would remember him, though. He would remember him very soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And just like that, the story begins for real now. The buildup is complete. Buckle in and make sure your seat belts are fastened tight; this story is no longer safe.
> 
> On an unrelated note, AO3 has been doing this thing where sometimes it skips over a small portion of my story. Usually it happens right after an italicized word, and there'll be no space between the italicized word and the portion it skipped to. I double check stuff and do what I can to make sure it doesn't happen, but if you do notice something wonky that I missed, make sure to tell me so I can fix it. Darn formatting xd


	7. Right in front of him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it is out a bit late, sorry y'all :/ but uh, it's here! Yay? The ending of the previous chapter was really like the ending of the first 'section' of this story, because things are gonna be quite a bit crazier from hereon out. Buckle in!
> 
> Also, chapter 2 of this fic (basically chapter 1 but since the prologue is chapter 1, it's chapter 2) now has art in it to go along with the story, so please, go look through it again! The artwork is by the super talented [charlieedevers](https://charlieedevers.tumblr.com/), make sure to check them out! Super beautiful art, and I could not be more happy to have their drawings in my fic!

"Seriously, Shiro, he's the sweetest, most beautifulest, most talented guy out there, and I still can't believe what happened last night! In my _car_!"

Shiro wrinkled his nose in amusement as Keith moved his hands animatedly to go along with his explanation of why Lance was as amazing as he was while they sat at Shiro's kitchen table. "He must be pretty great if he can get you to start saying words like 'beautifulest'."

Keith grumbled, but it was more pouty than hostile. "Shiro, I'm being serious here! Like, it isn't just looks and stuff...Lance...he gets me, in a way nobody I've ever met does...like that time he talked to me at the mall, I told you about that, right? It's like, he knows what to say to me, better than anyone else...oh, uh, besides you, Shiro, but you don't count."

"Don't count?"

"Yeah, you're some sort of emotionally understanding entity, so you don't count."

Shiro erupted into laughter at that, and Keith couldn't help but join him, even if he hadn't been completely joking. There was only one Shiro in the world; but there seemed to be only one Lance in the world, too. He connected with Lance in ways he thought he could only ever connect with Shiro, and that was what had him completely taken by the dancer.

"Well, I'm happy for you, but you know that by now. You've only told me about Lance like 500 times."

Keith blushed a bit and avoided eye contact, rubbing his crossed arms sheepishly. "Sorry if it's annoying…"

"No, it's okay, I love hearing about it," Shiro assured, reaching out to place his prosthetic hand on Keith's shoulder. "I'm just a little...worried."

Keith rose an eyebrow at his tone of voice. "Worried about what?"

Shiro sighed. "Well...worried about you, obviously. Are you sure you're going to be alright dating somebody who's constantly getting physically intimate with countless other men? You might have to see him in situations you'd rather not see but can't do anything about, like having men touch him and...you know, that type of stuff."

Keith grimaced a bit, because he too had been struggling with that aspect of things, and even now he was still coming to terms with it, but he was willing to put in the effort. "I know, but you know, last night, Lance promised he'd stop having sex with other people! For me! He said he'd only do his pole and lap dances from now on and that he'd stop accepting private sex requests! He's clearly trying, so I'm going to try, too. That's already a huge step, don't you think?" He was beaming at Shiro, but the young teacher didn't share his enthusiasm.

"Well, sure, that sounds great and all in theory, but...do you think you can trust Lance?"

"What?!" Keith pulled away from Shiro's hand and stood up, arms tossed out to either side of him theatrically. "I've got no reason not to trust him yet, do I?! Lance wasn't even rushing to try and get in a relationship with me by any means, so it's not like he's been after my money! He's been genuine with me in that regard, why shouldn't I trust that he's genuine when he says he'll stop having sex? I know he's a stripper, but he has morals too!"

"Woah, woah, calm down tiger!" Shiro stood up as well, holding his hands out in front of him. "I wasn't accusing anybody. Trust me, I know strippers have morals. I was dating Matt when he still worked at the Web, remember? I promise, I don't think Lance is a bad person either."

Keith wanted to add in that Shiro had never even met him to begin with, but, it was Shiro he was talking to, so he didn't. "...I know. I'm sorry. I guess I'm still working on my temper."

Shiro placed his hand on Keith's shoulder again, squeezing gently and giving him a warm smile in hopes of comforting him - and it worked, as it always did. Keith felt calmer already, taking deep breaths as he replayed Shiro's words of wisdom in his head. _Patience yields focus_.

"Don't worry, I understand you weren't trying to be aggressive. I just wanted to check in and make sure you understood what you could be getting into." Shiro chuckled and scratched the back of his head. "Maybe I worry too much?"

Keith smiled at that, returning Shiro's gesture by placing his hand on Shiro's shoulder. "Maybe. But it'll be okay, I promise. I know what I'm getting into. Besides, if I do need help, I've got you and Matt!"

Shiro hesitated to take his hand off Keith's shoulder, always one to make sure Keith would be okay, but he eventually relented with a nod. "You bet you do." They pulled each other into a hug, but excitement was bouncing around inside Keith and threatening to make him start bouncing on the outside, too, so he ended it quickly.

"I gotta go catch Lance's performance, so, yeah! Did you know he's the most popular dancer there? Like, because, he's the most _talented_ -"

"I know, you've told me a dozen times, including today." Shiro interrupted, still smiling.

Keith chuckled nervously as he made for the door, this being far from the first time Lance made him say something repetitive and dumb. "Sorry. I'll see you later, Shiro!"

Shiro gave a small wave. "Have fun!"

A wide grin spread across Keith's face as he rushed out of the room, heart thumping like a schoolgirl on her way to her crush. _I will_.

***

Just as he'd suspected, the driver's seat of his car was now a permanent reminder of what had happened there between him and Lance, and he couldn't help but think about it each time he sat down to drive. It was both a blessing and a curse - one that he hoped would fade away in time.

...maybe it would fade away once he and Lance had sex somewhere else? It was a hopeful idea, mainly because the thought of having sex with Lance again was a fantasy that he would hold onto until it happened, but he wouldn't bet on it happening anytime soon. He wasn't looking for it to happen anytime soon. One thing he did not want was for their relationship to become about the sex, which he was pretty sure he could manage to maintain.

Knowing Lance wouldn't be having sex with anybody else helped a lot, too. He could feel more confident in their relationship as he pulled into the Web's parking lot, knowing that he wouldn't have to worry about other men treating Lance so horribly.

Getting aroused just from being behind the wheel was a major problem for Keith since driving was a big deal for him, but stepping out of his car and gazing upon the Web, taking in the music and just the general atmosphere he'd come to associate with it, served to instantly kill his arousal. It was quite the problem, because he knew as soon as he entered and watched Lance perform, his arousal would be back on and he'd basically be a light switch getting flicked back and forth by some obnoxious child, who in this case was Lance. The guy had Keith on a leash.

As he approached the bouncer at the front, who had _definitely_ come to view Keith as a regular customer now (the thought still killed him a little on the inside), he noticed quite a few limos in the lot.

_Guess there's some richer folks in the club tonight_ , he thought to himself, frowning. Not good. He was assuming they were newer customers since he'd never seen limos here before, although, _he_ was technically the newer customer, so he couldn't say for sure, but if they _were_ new, they were going to have their eyes on Lance, and that meant Lance would have more people pressuring him. Hopefully that could be avoided if they were spending most of their post-performance time together, though.

Keith hurried in, paying the bouncer and sighing at the dim purple and blue lights that he regretted having to call 'familiar'. Obviously he didn't hate on Lance's profession since he wanted to support him in whatever he wanted to do, but he did hate the Web's lack of morals and thus, hated the place. It was hard to focus on the positives like the pretty interior design and the remarkably organized tables and couch areas when he had to associate such a nasty reputation with it. A part of him really wished someone new would take over the place and change things up. But, that wasn't why he was here.

A crowd was already gathering by the stage in preparation for Lance's performance, which didn't surprise Keith. His conversation with Shiro had gone on a bit longer than he'd planned, so he couldn't arrive in time for a super ideal spot to watch, but that was fine. He wasn't going to complain about talking with Shiro, and while supporting and watching Lance's performances were great, he was mainly here to spend time with him after the show, anyways.

Keith found a place in the crowd and, like the rest of the other men, turned to watch the clock since phones weren't allowed in the Web. If there was one more thing Keith could find to praise the club on, it was its diligence, because as soon as the clock struck 10, all lights turned blue, and Lance's figure could be seen crossing the catwalk to the main stage right on time.

Standing amongst the crowd and watching Lance greeting his admirers would never not remind Keith of his very first time seeing him perform. Apparently that had been a life-changing moment without him even knowing it at the time; except he sort of had, since Lance's dance had completely changed Keith's view on pole dancing and made him question everything he once thought about strip clubs. It was the reason he was where he currently was, after all.

Chants of 'BabyBlue' erupted from all around him, the name bringing a smile to Keith's face. Hearing it reminded him of his and Lance's talk about stage names, how this was Lance's and 'Red Paladin' was Keith's.

Lance placed both hands around the pole as soon as he walked to it, saving more of his audience interactions for the middle and ending parts of his performance as usual. Keith wasn't close enough to make out too much of his facial expression, but he was pretty sure he was wearing his standard sweet smile as he waited for his music to come on.

He was wearing blue lingerie that looked similar to the ones he'd worn when Keith first saw him, which only made the nostalgia worse. Although, to be fair, blue was his most common color, and all lingerie might as well have looked similar to Keith, so, it could be totally different for all he knew. What wasn't different was how stunning Lance looked, slender thighs not giving away any of the bulky muscle beneath, curvy sides accentuating the rest of his body, and when he made his first move on the pole, pulling himself up and swinging his legs around it, the shiver that ran up Keith's spine was very much familiar.

Keith had to do his best to ignore the obnoxious shouting and occasional rude comments from all around him, some of which boiled his blood and made him want nothing more than to find each specific person who called Lance a 'slut' so he could make sure they never looked at Lance again. He didn't do anything of the sort though, of course, since Lance made it very clear that the Web, despite all its immoral qualities, was very much _not_ okay with conflict. Apparently the bouncers around the place would come at you and throw you out upon any signs of rule-breaking confrontation, despite there being a very limited set of rules, which did make Keith feel like Lance was a bit safer in the Web. It also made him suddenly confused, though, when he saw another man walking down the catwalk towards Lance's stage with nobody jumping in to take him away.

The man was clearly not a stripper, or at the very least not there to take the pole, because he was wearing what must've been one of the most expensive-looking suits Keith had ever seen - very different from lingerie. The fanciness of his attire immediately made Keith think back to the limos he'd seen while coming in, and he realized this dude must've been one of those 'new' rich customers, and that he must be super drunk. Keith's muscles were immediately tensing up as his stomach tightened with each step the drunkie took towards Lance, but he kept himself somewhat calm by reminding himself that the club was strict when it came to keeping its few rules in line, and that security would come whisk the intoxicated fool away.

As he stepped into the light more, Keith could make out the peculiar white color of his long hair, and he just waited anxiously for somebody to rush onto the stage to drag him out of the club. His heart was thundering in his chest until he could hear it even despite the music, and he wasn't sure if he was being impatient or overprotective, but this man was definitely _way_ too close to Lance and it was mind blowing how nobody had taken him away yet. He didn't even walk fast; he was taking his sweet time approaching Lance, who had stopped dancing, and now they were just staring at each other in the center of the stage.

Lance was probably telling him he needed to get off before he was thrown out, which should've been happening already anyways, but Keith couldn't hear what they were saying nor could he clearly make out their facial expressions; he could only make out that they were in conversation.

He expected for people, particularly the bouncers, to start getting riled up once it sunk in that a drunk man was blatantly interrupting Lance's performance and posing a _very large threat_ to the most popular performer at the club. What he didn't expect was for the shouts and _cheers_ of the men around him to suddenly increase in both volume and intensity, the sheer amount of excitement that suddenly seeped into the air making Keith feel sick to the stomach.

No. Something was wrong. He didn't know what, but something was very wrong here. The bouncers should be kicking this man out. The crowd should be enraged that someone was breaking the rules, or they should at least be exploding in amusement at the fact that a man had gotten so drunk that he'd marched onto stage. The seemingly positive response from all around Keith had him confused. It had him terrified.

_Any second now...he'll get dragged from the stage or Lance will force him off, he won't be able to touch Lance because security won't allow it. Any second now…_

Keith was legitimately shaking in anxiety, squeezing his own wrist to try and comfort himself as the man took another step towards Lance.

_Any second now…_

Lance held still as the man ended up inches away from his unclothed body, reaching forward with his hand ever so slowly as Keith followed every movement with his shrinking pupils.

_Any second now…_

His fingers slid against Lance's cheek. Lance didn't move. Nobody moved.

Keith moved.

Or rather, Keith shouldered his way through the crowd with the rage of a starved bengal tiger, teeth bared and eyes wide with fury. If nobody else was going to stop it, then Keith would. By any means necessary, Keith was going to get up there and protect Lance; even if he had to fight his way through this entire sickly excited crowd to do it.

***~Lance~***

Even from the very first step on stage, things had felt different. When Lance looked out into the crowd and grabbed onto the pole, readying himself for another stellar performance, things had felt different. He could clearly remember what it used to feel like - what it was _supposed_ to feel like. Lance was an entertainer, and while he enjoyed dancing because it was something he was good at, the real appeal had always come from making men desire him. Making men _want_ him; because when men want you, you're worth something. This had always been his purpose, the only thing he could ever be good for - putting his body on display for men. For so long now, dancing had been his way of fulfilling his purpose.

But now, standing in front of the pole and glancing out at the crowd, he didn't feel like he needed to think that way. He didn't _want_ to think that way; all because of Keith. He was constantly thinking about Keith, seeing him in his sleep, rereading text messages from him, and now, he was even thinking about him as he danced.

Keith. Keith made Lance feel different, even on stage, performing for hundreds of men.

Keith. Keith made Lance feel like he was worth something, even if he didn't understand it.

Keith. Keith made Lance feel like other men might not have to define him.

Keith.

_Keith_.

_Lotor_.

It was ironic, really. Just when Lance thought he didn't want something anymore, just when he thought something had exited his life, it appeared before him on a silver platter; and it all happened before he could understand any of it. Time seemed to slow down the moment he saw that long-haired man walking down the catwalk, eyes dead set on Lance, but if the world was suddenly moving ten times slower, Lance's mind was 100 times as slow as his dancing came to an abrupt stop.

He didn't even have time, didn't have the capacity, to think about what was going on. Club lights had never affected him before, but suddenly he was more nauseous and light-headed than ever before, knees weakening and stomach churning and ears ringing, the growing cheers of the crowd sounding so distant, as if he were underwater. Every bone in his body grew numb and trembled, and he would've held onto the pole to stay stable but he couldn't because Lotor hadn't given him permission to do that...and a part of him felt like Lotor shouldn't _have_ to give him permission to do anything...but suddenly, for the life of him, he couldn't remember why.

_Why would I dare do something without his permission?_

That was the most he was able to dissect of his messy thoughts before Lotor stopped just inches in front of him, his grin so bone-chillingly wide, and the sight made Lance's head hurt but he couldn't turn away or even look away and _why, why, why was any of this happening?_

He lost track of how much time passed in his distorted judgement of reality - five minutes? Five hours? It could've been anywhere in between, but it didn't do Lance's dizziness any favors. His breaths were more like constant short gasps, and he could feel each violent pump of his heart through his hand pressed in a fist against his chest.

What was he supposed to feel? What was he supposed to do? Was any of this even real? Was it all a dream? What parts were a dream? Any part of the past year suddenly felt like it could easily have been just a dream, and he was beginning to have to fight the urge to puke up his innards out of anxiety.

The longer they looked at each other, the more Lance could feel the sheer crushing silence drowning out all the sound around him. He recognized this feeling. He _feared_ this feeling. This man…

"...Lotor…" The name felt so unfamiliar on his tongue, so foreign and...wrong. And yet, it didn't feel wrong to be seeing him. In fact, amidst all his light-headed shaking, something about this felt so...right. Lance's heart was skipping beats for a variety of reasons - too many to name. Too many to understand.

It only got worse when Lotor took another step forward, not blinking away from Lance for a second. "It's good to see you again, darling."

That silky voice, that pet name, the shine of his perfectly white teeth...all of it sent shivers through Lance, triggering thousands of memories from deep within; some of which hadn't surfaced for months now. He didn't realize just how much his distractions had actually been affecting his life until this moment, where a tidal wave of contradicting emotions crashed inside of him and flooded him with more flashbacks than he could handle.

"...why...Lotor…" His voice got choked up at that, still feeling so wrong just by saying that name. "Why are you here…?"

Lotor chuckled and closed the last of the distance between them, bringing his hand up to cup Lance's quivering cheek in his palm. "'Why'? What do you mean 'why'? I'm here for you, sweetie; you know that. Don't you?" His purple eyes glistened, and Lance couldn't tell if it was just due to the lighting or something else.

"I...but…" Lance could feel his own eyes growing heavy with tears, knees weakening by the second as he hugged himself and bit his lower lip in a failed attempt to stop his trembling. "But you...you left...one year ago, you…"

"Shhh…" Lotor moved even closer, cupping both of Lance's cheeks in his hands and tilting his head up so they were looking at each other again. "Baby, I left a note for you. Crazy things came up; things so crazy, you'll never believe it. You never got my note?"

Lance's eyes widened, and he felt like the entire world was suddenly turned on its head as he reached up to hold Lotor's wrist. "A...a note…? I...no, I never got anything…"

"Oh...poor thing, come here." Lotor began wrapping his arms around Lance's entire body, and he leaned into it out of reflex. "Come here. If you didn't get the note, it was a misunderstanding. Like I said, you won't believe what happened...I had to leave, baby…"

His arms brought Lance close, hand resting on the back of his head and guiding his face to rest against his chest. Lance didn't know how to take in all this information, and he certainly didn't know how to handle this sudden turn of events. He was a mess right now as a tear fell down his cheek. "It was...a misunderstanding? So then...why did you leave? Why did you leave me Lotor…" He wept more at that, hiccuping and quickly seeking comfort in Lotor's arms. Something about this felt so wrong...but he still couldn't understand why.

"Shhh...I know, baby. I know. I'll tell you. We can talk all about it, since you never got my note or my messages. But I'm here now. I came back for you."

Lance attempted to swallow down his ugly crying, taking a few moments to sigh and to get his hiccuping under control. "But...but it...one whole year…"

"I know, sweetie. Shhh." Lotor ran his fingers through Lance's hair, his other hand wrapping around and fiddling with the straps of his bra. "I'm here now. We can talk about it later, but I did everything because I love you. I've always done it for you, remember?"

Lance paused, swallowing the accumulating saliva in his mouth and trying to think things through. "I…" He squeezed his eyes shut upon feeling Lotor scratching his head right where he had so many times before. "...I remember."

"Good boy," Lotor praised, and Lance physically preened at the compliment, mouth quickly stretching into a smile across his tear-stained face as Lotor continued. "That's the good boy I remember, that's why I love you. You're mine, baby, I won't leave you behind."

Lance's heart was soaring past the clouds as he bounced in Lotor's arms, looking up at him in amazement and relief and pure joy. Lotor was actually here...he was actually here again to tell Lance he loved him…! This was-

_Keith_.

Lance blinked in confusion, stomach suddenly twisting into a hesitant knot, and he had half a mind to back away...but that was only one suggestion out of a million battling in his head.

_He's back…_

_Keith is out there…_

_He's here…_

_Back away…_

_But the cellar…_

_You can't run…_

"Oh, while we're on the subject, you're almost as good a boy as I remember you, sweetie...but," The clasps on Lance's bra snapped off, scattering his thoughts in a thousand directions at once. Lotor brought the blue topping around and dropped it off to the side, eyes suddenly callous and condescending. "You certainly aren't the dancer you used to be. I watched your performance for a bit before coming on." He leaned into Lance's ear, teeth grazing the delicate, bony skin. "...you've gotten lazy without me."

Lance gulped, wanting to lean away from the breaths creeping on his ear, but he didn't dare to. His face just drooped, and he refused to meet Lotor's gaze as his hands massaged the area where his straps used to be on his back skin.

"...I'm disappointed in you, babe," he muttered, grinning more as Lance's tears threatened to spill over more.

Dancing was everything for him. It was all he'd done for the past year and all he had to show him he was good for something, to give him direction; so to hear he was performing lazily, especially from Lotor, struck him hard.

_Dancing doesn't define you._

Lance lifted his head off of Lotor's chest briefly, blinking at his surroundings, but all he could hear was the persistent cheers of the crowd of men watching them and the heavy breaths exiting Lotor, and suddenly, the passing thought was nothing but that; passing. He couldn't find it again; he couldn't find _any_ words of his own in his head. He suddenly felt trapped...like a bug caught in a spider's web.

"Would you like to make it up to them?" Lotor spoke in a baby-voice, grabbing Lance's chin and turning his head to gaze out at the jumping crowd. "Would you like to apologize to your fans for being so lazy in your performances for the entirety of last year? You and I both know laziness isn't acceptable…"

Lance gulped, trembling all over again, and the only thing to offer him comfort was Lotor's arms...so, naturally, he let them close in around him more. "I...I do." Lotor's question wasn't even much of a question; they both knew what Lance was supposed to say. "I do want to apologize."

Lotor's grin returned at that, and he took a few steps back from Lance, still stroking his cheek with one palm. "There's a good boy. I knew you'd want to make it up to your fans. Now then," His hands went down to unbutton his black pants, making Lance's eyes widen as Lotor looked at him expectantly. "Why don't we put on a show for the audience, just like the old days? It'll be us officially announcing our comeback together."

The bulge in Lotor's pants was already very visible, and Lance couldn't stop staring at him, adrenaline setting his blood on fire. _The old days…_ He barely recognized just how badly he was shaking, his mind much too occupied with the fact that this was all actually happening. "I…" Lotor's eyes were piercing through him, burning him more, and he didn't want to let Lotor down; he _couldn't_ let Lotor down. "...okay, Lotor-!"

He was cut off with a yelp as Lotor dragged him over by the chin, fingers holding him in an ironclad grip. "There's your first mistake that shows just how lazy and bad you've gotten over this past year, babe. Try again. And this time, get my name _right_."

Lance gulped again from the harsh pull against his chin, sending pain jolting through his jawline, but he quickly realized why 'Lotor' felt so wrong against his tongue. He was an idiot.

"D-daddy…" He whimpered, eyes puffing up again from how hard Lotor was squeezing his cheeks together.

Lotor nodded in approval at that, letting go of his cheeks with one last small slap. "There we go. Now then, you know what to do. Or have you become so hopeless without me that you can't even figure that out on your own?"

They both cast quick glances down at Lotor's crotch before Lance obediently got down on his knees, crawling closer on all fours until he was close enough to breathe in Lotor's scent, which, while he could definitely smell the musk of arousal, there was that ever-so-present scent of freshness, almost like vanilla, that Lotor always carried about him. It seemed he remembered what things were like with Lotor, after all; even these smaller details.

Lance pulled Lotor's pants and boxers down, heart stopping altogether at the sight of his large cock - for multiple reasons. No matter what those reasons were, though, no matter what sort of emotions and thoughts were running rampant in his head, only one actually mattered; compliance. Lotor said Lance's performances had been lazy and disappointing...and he couldn't live with himself if that were the case.

"You're taking too long. Have you forgotten how to suck dick in just one year?" Lotor growled.

Lance immediately panicked, because his sucking talent was something else he prided himself on, something he knew he could do well; he couldn't bare it if Lotor became disappointed with him in that regard, too. "N-no, daddy. I'm sorry."

He glanced up cautiously to see Lotor glaring down at him through narrowed eyes. "Then get on with it. We have a show to put on, and I've a reputation to uphold; as do you."

Lance gulped again. "Yes, daddy." He took a deep breath, resigning himself to his job. Then, he leaned forward and gave an experimental lick; just a quick flick of the tongue.

Lotor's breaths picked up as his fingers found their way to Lance's hair, ordering him to proceed faster, so he did. He normally liked to teasingly work his way up to the full blowjob, dragging his customer out on their bliss for as long as he pleased, but this wasn't the same. Lotor wasn't a customer, so Lance didn't get to take things at his own pace.

He wrapped his lips past the tip of Lotor's cock and began suckling, tongue wriggling back and forth against the salty tip. His own dick was getting hard at all this sexual exposure, but he knew not to expect much for himself. After all, there was only one person who ever touched him during sex…

"This is what I mean." Lotor's voice cut his thoughts short as the man's fingers curled up into a fistful of his hair, shoving Lance's head down onto his cock and holding him there without mercy. "You're lazy now. You're unfocused. It's like you take the money you make for granted and don't care about putting your all into your performance. Is that it?"

Lance's eyes widened as he felt the cock spearing his throat, both hands reflexively moving up to push against Lotor's thighs with little success. It wasn't that he couldn't take it; he just hadn't been prepared. Now, all he could do was gag on Lotor's cock while trying to hang onto every word he said, deep breaths passing in and out of his nose.

Now that he was mentioning it, Lotor was right, if there had been any doubt about that before. Lance _was_ being lazy. Thinking about Keith during a performance instead of focusing on giving it his all was unacceptable...when he'd first stepped on stage tonight, his mind had immediately wandered to Keith, and thus, his dancing had been off. He'd actually allowed himself to think that he could do something other than show off for men!

But then, the biggest sin of all was just now, when he had thought about the way Keith touched him in his car. He couldn't be thinking about anyone but Lotor; especially not while his cock was in his mouth. Lance really had been bad and lazy...and Lotor had every right to become frustrated and disappointed with him the way he was.

Lotor's cock began pistoning into Lance's mouth, constantly stabbing his throat raw with brutal force and accuracy. Many people fucked Lance's mouth, but none measured up to this violent pace of Lotor's as his balls slapped against his face. This feeling was very familiar…

...yes. The feeling of Lotor's cock ramming into his throat and stretching the muscles was incredibly familiar. His skull vibrated with each harsh thrust, memory after memory popping up, as though Lotor was face fucking him so hard his brain was rebooting. It wasn't like the memories were of specific times this happened, since, they'd had all kinds of sex so many times and he could never get all of that out of his head...rather, they were memories of how it felt doing this with Lotor; memories of the emotions that came along with having sex with Lotor.

Memories of an entire lifestyle that he had never truly abandoned, but had attempted to separate himself from, until now.

His eyes fell shut, and all he could do was let those memories spill into his body and mind as Lotor yanked his hair harder in response to his harsher thrusts. His throat quickly became numb to Lotor's constant abuse of it, and his hands dropped from Lotor's thighs in surrender until he was completely still, taking in the physical and mental strikes against his body by Lotor's dick; because it was all he could do and all he knew how to do.

Lotor's cock left his mouth after a few minutes, but the memories stayed. They were never truly gone to begin with; he'd just buried them because he thought it was for the best. But he wasn't the one calling the shots for what was truly best anymore.

He looked up at Lotor, shutting one eye as his cock laid on top of his face. His hand reached down to caress Lance's chin, scratching it and prompting his tongue to loll out a bit, much to Lotor's satisfaction.

"Good boy. But you see, I don't think you've learned your lesson just yet. You and I both know you've been very, very bad and lazy...and I can't allow that. I know I was gone for a long time...but it's okay. I can remind you how good boys act. You want to be daddy's good little boy again, don't you?"

Lance hesitated a little too long at that question, but the twitch of frustration in Lotor's eyes was all he needed to quickly nod. "Yes, daddy."

Lotor's grin returned as he lightly slapped Lance's cheek, pulling himself back a bit. "Thought so. Now turn around; and strip."

Lance did exactly as told, pulling his panties down and turning on all fours so his ass was pushed out towards Lotor expectantly. Surprise washed over him upon seeing the crowd, having forgotten them amidst all his memories of Lotor. He gulped, tuning out their cheers to focus on what was happening between him and his daddy. He didn't want to be lazy or unfocused; he didn't want to be a disappointment anymore.

He lightly waggled his ass a bit, biting his lower lip as he waited for Lotor to fuck him. It wasn't his place to ask for it to be done quickly, but he did want to finish this soon so he could ask Lotor all his questions, so his hips swayed back and forth enticingly.

An aggressive slap against his ass hadn't been what he was expecting, but it was what he got as the sound of the strike rang out over the stage loudly, even louder than Lance's ensuing cry of pain. He whipped around to see Lotor towering over him, and before he could gather his thoughts, his ass was already met with another forceful smack that physically shook his body.

Tears spilled out from his eyes as he let out a shaky gasp, teeth grinding together. His ass wasn't shaking voluntarily any more. "L-Lotor, why-ah!" He wailed in pain as Lotor struck his ass again, the look in his eyes saying everything that needed to be said, and Lance wanted to smack _himself_ for having been so stupid. "I-I mean... _daddy_...why...AH!" He yelped again, body lurching forward a bit from the increasing brutality behind each subsequent spank.

Lotor was looking down at him with a face shadowed in sheer disappointment; the look alone hurting more than the spanks. "Do you need to ask? I'm punishing you for giving such lazy performances. Naughty boys get punished and disciplined - you know that. Surely you didn't forget that much? Looks like I'll need to punish you even harder."

Dread weighed down in Lance's stomach so heavily he thought he might collapse, but that would do no good. He stayed sturdy on all fours, not letting his arms and knees give out beneath him no matter how shaky they got as Lotor struck his ass again, and though he couldn't see it, Lance knew it was red by now. He did his best to keep silent, to take his punishment like an obedient boy, he really did; but in the end, the pain won out, and he cried and cried with each strike.

The cheers of the crowd didn't make it any easier on Lance, and he hung his head low, letting his tears and screams hit the floor of the stage knowing that everyone loved watching him get punished.

"You're so soft now, crying over such a little thing. You've taken way worse than this," Lotor pointed out with a grunt, smacks getting harder the louder Lance cried. "Don't get the wrong idea, sweetie. I'm doing this for _you_. Not just because you deserve it, but because I love you."

He momentarily stopped hitting Lance, but Lance's tears never stopped, and it was all he could do to just muffle the sound of his constant hiccups. Lotor's hands were smoothing out his sore ass now, and all he could do was listen and let Lotor's words sink in as he spoke in that hushed, daunting voice of his.

"I love you so much, baby, and I want you to be the best you can be. That's why it hurts me to see you performing so badly. Daddy doesn't want his boy to become a spoiled boy. Daddy doesn't want his boy thinking he can go acting all lazy and still get rewarded with money and sex with random men. It hurts to see you be so bad, and that's why you deserve to be hurt. Daddy needs to teach you a lesson, baby. Daddy wants you to be better than this, because you can, can't you? You can be better for me?"

Lance had lowered his face so that he could cover his mouth in his hands, tears streaming from his eyes as he sobbed in shame and guilt. Bawling into his palms wasn't making him any quieter, but it helped make him feel a little better as he answered Lotor with just a small nod.

It was true. He deserved this and he knew he did. Lotor was right; he'd been getting cocky lately, thinking the Web owed him something for being the most popular stripper. He hated it; he hated getting hit. It hurt so much and he was tired of always getting hurt...he was so tired...but that didn't matter, and he knew it didn't matter. He was bad and Lotor was going to discipline him so he could do his job better.

"You're going to count the hits now, okay? Up until now, that was punishment. Now, this is me teaching you. Make sure the lesson sinks in, okay baby? Daddy doesn't want to hurt you, but daddy wants you to be good."

Lance's body trembled upon hearing that everything up until now hadn't even been to teach him a lesson. The real thing was starting now, and goosebumps scaled his body from how frightened he was, but he held his hands to his mouth tighter and gave Lotor another weak nod, tears dripping to the stage floor.

There was no warning or moment of preparation. Lotor's palm crashed into Lance's ass, sending spasms of pain through his entire body up to his throat, which carried it forward in the form of a tortured shriek.

If Lance had been sobbing before, he was outright breaking down now, face collapsing to the stage as he wept hopelessly, hugging himself and wishing for it to stop, wishing he would have just been better so he didn't have to deserve this.

The collapse of his front half meant his rump was lifted higher, much to Lotor's convenience. His next smacks landed on both of his cheeks like lightning, striking in the blink of an eye and sending shockwaves of intense pain through Lance's shivering body.

"Did you forget that you wouldn't be where you are without me? Huh?!"

SMACK.

Lance screamed and vigorously shook his head as best he could.

"That's right, you're nobody without me! And this is how you repay me? By getting lazy with your performances?!"

SMACK.

_"STOP! STOP IT, PLEASE STOP IT!"_ Lance screamed...in his head. He couldn't say it out loud, so he screamed it in his head and kept his actual screams to wails of pure agony as Lotor switched hands so his muscles were fresh to hit Lance with everything he had.

"You're just that fucking useless without me, huh? You can't do anything right without me there telling you what to do?!"

SMACK.

SMACK.

_SMACK._

Lotor was striking him so hard and so fast it became impossible for Lance to do anything other than sob into his hands, refusing to look at the loud, chanting crowd.

It was awful. Lance didn't mind having sex for show; public sexual appeal was what he did, and as Lotor was here to remind him, all he could do. But this was different. This wasn't sex; it was humiliation. Lance was getting publicly disciplined and publicly humiliated in front of all these men who knew who he was, he was getting spanked and being forced to scream and cry in front of a huge group of men and he hated it...because he knew it was his fault.

Like Lotor said, he deserved it.

Amidst the deafening cries of his own voice and the rising volume of the excited crowd, Lance's head was scattered across the stage and leaking his awareness over the side. It was impossible for him to actually focus on how many times Lotor was hitting him, but he didn't need to. Each wave of pain was accompanied by a sharp-bladed comment from Lotor, cutting through to him with excruciating intensity and filling his hollow, chaotic being. His body remembered each hit, held onto each word that sunk into him, and thus, was able to keep track of how many times Lotor struck him.

After the 25th hit, Lotor's hand finally came to a stop, although that didn't mean much given the remaining ache of pain that gnawed at Lance's ass, and a part of him wondered if he would lose feeling in his backside forever. A part of him wished it.

"How many hits." It wasn't even a question, and Lotor's hand was already brushing against his bruised ass, ready to punish him if he failed to do something as simple as keep track.

It was difficult for Lance to find it in him to create any words through all of his hoarse sobbing, but he knew better than to disobey, so he slowly forced himself to turn to look at Lotor through sheer will of obedience alone. "T-tweny-f-five…" His voice was so shaky and cracked, he could barely recognize it as his own.

For a brief moment, Lotor's fingers lingered against his bruises, and his stomach tightened in fear that he might have been wrong, but then Lotor traced his fingers over to Lance's hole, attempting to tickle him but just resulting in worsening his soreness.

"Good boy. So, have you learned your lesson?"

Lance tried to get moisture into his mouth so he could speak, but the crowd suddenly erupted into more cheers, and he cut himself off in a fit of sobs. It was mortifying having to cry on stage like this, having to have his daddy disciplining him where others could see. He felt so humiliated and damaged, and he could only sob at himself for giving Lotor no other choice but to do this.

"I…" He breathed out, hands slowly lowering from his mouth before immediately going back when a clump of unstable hiccups escaped him. "I...I learned...daddy…" He paused to let out a silent sob before once again forcing himself to look back at Lotor through sheer will of obedience. "I learned...my lesson…I'm...s-sorry..."

Lotor caressed his ass more, gentle fingertips feeling like fire against skin. "Shhh, it's okay, sweetie. As long as you've learned now. I know you need me here and I've been gone for a while...but I'm here now. It's okay, baby. Now be polite and say 'thank you for the lesson'."

Lance's head was as light as a cloud as he once again took a few moments to get his sobs under control as best he could before swallowing and looking at Lotor. "I...oh god…" His knees stumbled beneath him, and he felt like he might pass out, but he didn't. Of course he didn't. It may have been a year, but deep down, his body was used to this. He carried on; for Lotor's sake. "Th...thank you for the l-lesson, d-daddy…"

Lotor's thumb slid between his ass teasingly, pressing forward as he grinned in approval. "There's a good boy. Look at you; that's the look of a boy who's learned his lesson. Daddy is so proud of you, love, so proud. Daddy _loves_ you."

Despite the intense pain and humiliation still throbbing throughout his entire body, Lance somehow found it in him to give a soft sob of happiness. If at the end of the day, he was good, then that was what mattered.

...however, it didn't take long for despair to take its rightful place in his heart again when Lotor crouched down and cupped his chin, turning it towards the crowd and pointing. "You've been so good for me...now what about _them_? You haven't paid them back for wasting their time for one entire year by being lazy, now, have you?"

Icy claws of fear seized Lance once more as he trembled and tried to understand Lotor's words. He stared into the crowd, the sea of men enthusiastically cheering for his punishment overwhelming him and restarting his overflowing tear ducts. "N-no…" He swallowed a sob. "I...I haven't…"

Lotor turned him back so they were looking at each other, a lustful glint in his eyes. "Well then that's perfect. They just want a good show from you, and I still haven't gotten off. We can give them that show; you can be good for them again. Do you want that?" He leaned in so he was breathing into Lance's ear. "Do you want to apologize for them with a show? Just like we used to?"

The level of pain in Lance's lower body was high above anything he'd felt recently, and he was positive he couldn't take anything back there...but he knew Lotor wasn't asking. He was ordering...and Lance only had one answer for him.

"Yes…" He muttered, leaning into Lotor's hand. "Yes...I want to put on a show, daddy…"

Lotor grinned and backed up to strip himself of his remaining clothes, and Lance just watched with his red, puffy eyes as wide as they could get. Somehow, despite everything currently happening, his mind echoed to him a line he'd said to Keith yesterday.

_"If you don't want me having sex with other men, I won't."_

He was going to have sex with Lotor.

***~Keith~***

Nothing in the fucking club was making sense to Keith, but it hardly mattered to him anymore. All that mattered was getting through the crowd of horny, abhorrent men so he could jump on stage and kick that man's ass for even looking at Lance.

All around him, he could hear chants of 'Lance!' and 'Lotor!', and while he didn't know why exactly the crowd was cheering that, he was going to put a stop to it. He had to make it to Lance, he had to _protect_ Lance...even if Lance himself wasn't fighting back. Even if Lance himself wasn't calling for security. Even when Lance himself was falling forward into the man's chest…

_Stop_. Keith had to bite into his lower lip hard enough to draw blood in order to keep himself grounded and sane. It wasn't what it looked like. He was still far away from the stage; too far. He couldn't see what was happening clearly. He had to get through…

"MOVE!" He roared, but his voice was uselessly drowned out amongst the hundreds of others. It seemed violence was the only way he would get past the crowd of men.

He pushed his way forward and made it about a few yards in before the backlash started matching his aggression, shove meeting shove each time he tried pressing forward. The blood was rushing in Keith's ears so loudly he couldn't even hear the words the other men shouted at him. He could only see the looks of rage and annoyance on their faces as they tried to push him back; but their rage was nothing compared to Keith's rage.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" He grabbed some guy by the face and shoved him aside, shouldering past another and fighting and fighting and _fighting_ to make it to the stage.

As he pushed another guy aside, he saw Lance on all fours beneath the other man, ass raised up for him to spank over and over again.

Keith couldn't hear anything above the blood in his ears besides the chaotic shouts of men around him and, to a lesser degree, his own voice of spit and fury...but somehow, in that moment, he clearly heard the sound of skin on skin, watched as that disgusting hand clapped against Lance's backside and released a smack that shuddered through the air.

The lights above may have been blue and purple in color, but all Keith saw was red as he grinded his teeth together and pushed forward. His fury almost seemed to make things move in slow motion; either that or his body was suddenly much heavier all of a sudden as he elbowed and tossed multiple guys aside, making his way through the middle of the crowd.

His arm reached out towards the stage.

Almost there. He was almost there.

_Lance…_

A violent smacking sound reached his eardrums once more as his eyes narrowed venomously; and hopefully.

_Lance…!_

Pleadingly…

_Lance!_

A hand dug into the back of his shirt collar, yanking him backwards and completely knocking the wind out of him. From there, there was nothing he could do; he blacked out completely for about half a second, not even able to feel himself being dragged back as he watched Lance receive another hit.

He heard a loud, broken, lonely cry.

Suddenly, his back was on the floor, and just like he'd lost all his breath in one moment, it all suddenly came rushing back to him as he gasped and glared up at a larger man scowling down at him.

Anger and frustration rekindled his muscles as he pushed himself up with a shout, but the man shoved him backwards again, and that was it. Keith was on the ground, and the man just disappeared back into the crowd, like Keith was nothing but a minor nuisance.

That was when the tears started to sting at the corner of his eyes, growing larger and heavier with each thought of what was happening to Lance on stage, with each memory of the sounds he heard coming from him…

And the look on his face...Keith hadn't gotten close enough to see it...but he needed to. He needed to get close enough to see Lance's face; he needed to get that motherfucker _off_ of him.

Just like water in flames, his tears evaporated into steam as he pushed himself back to his feet, ignoring the bruises along his body. This pain couldn't be anything compared to what Lance must be feeling.

_Lance…_ Keith's eyes softened a bit as he imagined Lance smiling at him, Lance holding his hand in his. The volume in the club was off the charts, the lights were beginning to get on his nerves, and the men were jumping around way too much...but he attempted to take a deep breath, eyes falling shut as he focused on the images of Lance in his head.

_Temper, Keith...temper…_ He could do it. If it was for Lance, he could do it.

When he opened his eyes, the vein on his forehead was still pulsing and throbbing with rage, but he looked around for an easier way to the stage this time instead of through the crowd. That was when he spotted Coran, the mustached bartender, except, instead of running the bar, he was standing nearby and twiddling his mustache.

"Coran!" His voice was still more infuriated than anything else, but that was the least of his worries as he ran up to the conspicuous bartender.

"Wha, who, me?" Coran looked around before pointing at himself, but Keith wasn't in the mood for his silly antics.

"Coran, I need you to get me up on stage." He reached forward and placed a hand on the older man's shoulder. "Please."

Coran shrieked upon feeling Keith's hand on his shoulder, immediately backing away and shaking his finger at him. "Ah, ah, ah, apologies, sir, but I do not have the authority to do that! You see, I am but a simple barten-"

"CORAN!" His desperation must've cut through his anger, because Coran paused with wide eyes before relaxing his shoulders, switching over into what was probably the most serious Keith had ever seen him.

"...you're angry about Lance, aren't you?"

Keith clenched his fists, taking a few moments to breathe before speaking so that he wouldn't just be overtaken by his fury again. "That man...he's touching Lance, Coran, you…" He swallowed, suddenly realizing how terrified he was of this situation. "...help me."

Coran had watched Keith and Lance spend hours together at his bar counter over the last week, so if there was anyone in the Web who Keith trusted to help him, it was Coran. The sympathetic look on his face didn't do his anxiously beating heart any favors, though.

"Keith...I'm sorry." Coran sighed, turning towards the stage. "You don't know who that is, do you?"

"What do you mean?!" Keith shouted, trembling as his efforts to hold back his fear-induced anger began falling apart.

Coran winced at his voice volume, but didn't comment on it. "Well...that's Lotor. You see, he and Lance used to be a thing, it used to be pretty normal for the two of them to perform on stage as a duo…"

"Perform?!" Keith's eyes lit up with flames as he took a step forward. "What do you mean _perform_?! Do you see what's happening?! How are you okay with it?!"

Coran just shrunk away more, twiddling his thumbs together nervously. "W-what I mean is...they...have sex on stage."

Keith's pupils dilated at that as all sound in the club suddenly drowned out even more than before. He felt...numb. Like his vitality had completely left his body, replaced by only horror and rage. It was a storm inside of him. A frenzy.

Coran slowly backed away, and Keith couldn't even reach out to him, or grab him by the collar, or yell at him to stay. "I uh, should probably get back to the counter now. Was just checking out what the all the commotion was. They'll fire me if they find I've abandoned my post." He waved with a nervous smile before letting sympathy rest on his face. "...I'm sorry."

And then, he was gone.

Keith clenched his hands into fists like he was squeezing the blood from his fingers. All the chaos and discord in the club made it difficult for him to think, but he didn't need to think. It was clear there was nothing else he could do but try and get to Lance.

His nails dug into his palm as he thrust his head in the direction of the stage once more. He refused to give up, letting that denial fuel his flame as he rushed into the crowd like it was a battlefield, eyes narrowed and blurry with the threat of tears. As he clawed his way forward, the stage never left his sight. Lance never left his sight.

He wouldn't stop trying.

***~Lance~***

They had neither lube nor condom on stage, but that hardly mattered to Lotor, and sex safety was definitely one of the last things on Lance's scattered mind right now as he let Lotor briefly prep him with spit alone. It'd been a long time since he'd had sex on stage in front of a bunch of men, but it was already beginning to seem familiar as Lotor crouched down behind Lance and held his aching ass.

"We're finally doing this again...I've really missed you, baby, you don't know how much I've missed this." His hands stroked Lance's hips, and it was supposed to be gentle, but to Lance, it just caused him spikes of pain that were also becoming familiar again. "Did you miss it, too? I know how useless you are without me, how you can't even do your job properly without me. It must've been so hard on your own...you must've missed me a lot...didn't you, you poor thing?"

It took Lance a second to comprehend that he was actually expected to answer, but that was one second too long as Lotor slapped his ass while he was wetting his mouth enough to speak, eliciting a weak cry from Lance.

"I said, 'didn't you'?!"

There was no way to tell if the tears running down Lance's face were new or if they'd just been there the whole night, so he paid them no mind when they fell to the stage floor as he shakily turned to look at Lotor. "I...y-yes...I missed you…"

Lotor grinned approvingly. "I thought so. That's my boy. We can't leave these men waiting any longer; they've had to deal with your half-ass performances for a year now. Let's give them something to remember tonight by."

Lance gulped and hung his head once more. "Yes da-DDY!" His voice spiked in shock and pain as Lotor pushed into him all the way in one harsh thrust, stretching out Lance's throbbing ass and sending shockwaves of pain up his body from both the inside and outside. The only mercy he got was a few seconds to adjust, thanks to the fact that Lotor was also readjusting to his tightness.

"Fuck, just what I'd expect from my little slutty boy...still just as tight after all these years. I think I might've missed this the most...how flawlessly you can take me. You're the only one for me, baby...and I'm the only one for you. No one else can fill you up this much, this perfectly, now, can they?"

Small whines were escaping Lance, but he kept them as silent as he could and just nodded his head. "Yes daddy...no one but you makes me feel good…"

"That's right, good boy…!" Lotor grunted as he began moving, nails digging into Lance's body to give him a better hold as he fucked him.

It took Lance a while longer to adjust, but he couldn't complain as he bit his lower lip and let the pain rake his body over and over again. His comfort wasn't what mattered here; they were here to put on a show and for Lotor to reach completion. That was it. So long as he could give enjoyment to Lotor and the crowd, that should be pleasure enough for him, so the physical pain electrocuting his body wasn't of concern.

That said, despite how badly he throbbed and hurt, the feeling of Lotor's cock spearing his insides was invoking some form of pleasure inside of him. At least, enough for his own dick to get hard. The more Lotor fucked him, the more normal this seemed; because it was. Being alone...having no one there for him...that was normal, too, because that had been his entire life...but when Lotor was there for him, _this_ was normal. Having sex with Lotor in front of a crowd meant having someone there for him, and he much preferred that type of normal than being alone.

Lance rose his ass more for both Lotor's convenience and the crowd's enjoyment.

"There's my little baby blue…" Lotor cooed, giving his ass a few slaps as he drove himself into him. "You're mine, baby, only mine. I love you so much, I don't care about everything that should make it impossible to love you, I still want you baby, I promise. I don't care how fucked up you are."

Tears spilled over the sides of Lance's face, and he could actually tell they were new this time because of how sorrowful and bittersweet they were. He could feel a knife in his heart, digging deeper and deeper with each word Lotor spoke.

_He's right…_ Lance's mind went to Keith, imagining him smiling at Lance and saying he liked Lance. _He only likes the 'me' he thinks he sees…_

All this time, Lance had been so naive. Lotor was right; he really was useless without his daddy there to make sure he didn't get himself hurt. Keith didn't love Lance, because Keith didn't know Lance. Nobody knew Lance. Nobody knew how fucked up Lance was on the inside, or how unlovable he was aside from his body.

"I know everything about you," Lotor continued, voice brisk as he fucked Lance faster and faster. "And I still love you, I promise baby. I always will."

_That's right. Only Lotor knows everything about me and still loves me. He always will._

The tears were so cold against Lance's cheek, because he was crying his insides out, and it was just emptiness. He was crying out a well of emptiness, because he was so messed up and worthless on the inside, but despite that, despite knowing everything about Lance, Lotor still chose to love him.

Keith didn't know the first thing about Lance, he didn't know how messed up Lance was, and if he did, he certainly wouldn't feel anything for Lance anymore. He would toss him aside, and leave him broken and battered once more. Even if he didn't, even if he did continue to play the good guy out of pity...why would Lance deserve something like that? Why would Keith deserve something like that? No, Keith deserved better than Lance's fucked up self.

So stupid. Lance had been so stupid to try and start something with Keith when it was just going to end up horrible for him all over again. Lotor was the only one for him; Lotor was the only one he knew who would accept him no matter what. Lotor was the only one who would put up with him, who _wanted_ to put up with him and love him. To anyone else, dealing with Lance's issues would be a chore. To Lotor, it was a privilege. Lotor was the only one for Lance.

His tears stopped flowing as his heart sealed up its cuts...with the knife still in it.

Lotor had been hammering at his prostate for a good while now, and Lance already felt the need to cum overtaking his core, but he held out. He wouldn't cum until given permission, no matter how badly he needed to. He was trained for this.

"I wanna hear your voice, baby...your pretty voice...let daddy hear you…!" Lotor commanded, and by the sound of his groaning and the grinding of his hips, Lance knew he was about to cum.

"Daddy!" He chanted, raising his head skyward and moaning for Lotor, clenching his ass muscles together even though it hurt to apply pressure to any part of his backside.

The pain hardly mattered though as Lotor buried himself forward as far in as he could before, finally, he came inside of Lance for the first time in a year. Truthfully, Lance could barely feel anything anymore, his body impossibly numb with exhaustion, but he was able to feel Lotor's cock pulsing inside against his walls as he exploded with cum.

The entire thing made Lance's need to cum even greater, but he held it in silently until Lotor was finished milking his body for all the pleasure he was worth.

"You know what you want, babe," Lotor growled, hiding his panting behind grunts as he pulled out and lowered his face until it was next to Lance's. "Go on. Beg for it."

Lance gulped to find his voice, but other than that, there was no hesitation as he leaned his head towards Lotor's. "I-I want to cum, daddy…I need to…" He turned to look Lotor in the eyes. "Please let me cum…ah!" Lance screamed as Lotor grabbed a large fistful of his hair, pulling him up from his crawling position until his legs were dragging uselessly on the ground. He didn't have the energy to stand on his own, so he might as well have been hanging in midair by his hair as Lotor hauled him across the stage.

His tear ducts were practically in a constant state of on and off as wet droplets immediately rained down from his eyes again accompanied by loud cries of pain, and he writhed about as Lotor's grip in his hair tightened. The agony in his head almost made him want to claw at Lotor's hands, to struggle to free his hair, but he knew better, so instead he just clawed at his face and his tears like the helpless doll he was.

"Here," Lotor brought Lance close to the edge of the stage and held him up by his hair like a cat by its scruff, immediately sending the crowd into a wild fit of cheers. "Do you want to give these men a close up performance of you cumming? I think they deserve it, don't you? You need to apologize properly to them, and thank them for sticking with you after all this time, even though you've been a lazy, selfish dancer. You want to do that? You want to give them a close up as an apology?"

Lance's hands fell uselessly to his side as his voice somehow broke through his sobbing in a desperate attempt to get this over with, so that Lotor wouldn't be holding him up by his hair anymore. "Yes! Yes, yes daddy! Please!"

Every atom of his body felt like it was being stretched, like his scalp was separating from his head as he hung in suspension. Each passing second felt hours longer as pain constantly throbbed through him from the head down and his ass up, and he didn't know how much longer he could do this without passing out…

Then, Lotor held him out even more and shook him lightly, like he was some sort of ragdoll. "Cum."

Lance was certain he'd never heard anything more relieving as he bucked his hips into the air, crying out as he came for their audience. He didn't even have time to feel humiliated due to the amount of pain he was in, and though his body spasmed at the pleasure of finally releasing after having held it in for so long, he felt none of it.

The crowd cheered as they watched him cum as close up to them as was possible; Lance took that as a sign they accepted his apology. That was good.

When he finished cumming, he glanced at Lotor through his peripheral vision, not daring to even try moving his throbbing head.

Lotor glanced back at him and tightened his grip in his hair. "Mind your manners, sweetie."

Lance wanted to cry out in misery, but that wouldn't get him anywhere, so he cleared his throat and blinked back his tears. "Th-thank you, daddy…"

Lotor grinned in satisfaction as he reached down to scoop up Lance's lifeless legs, letting go of his hair and quickly dropping his hand behind Lance's neck so that he was carrying him bridal style.

"Good job, sweetie. You put on a good show. Daddy's proud of you." They walked towards the catwalk to exit the stage as Lance gave a weak smile at the praise. Loud cheers echoed from behind them, along with a shower of money flying up onto the stage and filling it with green. They were completely immersed with each other, though.

"You'll be coming back to stay with me again, sound good, baby? You're coming back home."

Lance's heart felt all twisted up, like there was still a conflict raging on within him, but tears of happiness spilled from his eyes anyways, and he buried his face into Lotor's chest as his daddy carried him off stage. "Yes…thank you daddy..." He murmured, holding onto Lotor like his life depended on him; because it did.

"Thank you…"

***~Keith~***

Keith tried to hold on to his faith; he tried so desperately to tell himself not to doubt Lance or himself or their relationship, but with each second that passed with Lotor mounting Lance, the stronger he heard Shiro's words from earlier repeating over and over.

_"Do you think you can trust Lance?"_

His body was numb to the physical pain throbbing around multiple areas of his body as he fought through the crowd of people; he was much too focused on the pain gnawing at his heartstrings. Last night, Lance had made a big deal to Keith about how he wouldn't have sex with other men anymore...and yet, now, here they were…

Keith wanted so desperately to believe this was still some sort of misunderstanding on his part, but that got harder and harder as Lance gave himself up to another man on that stage for everyone to see.

There was no fight from him. There was no struggle. The only person struggling here was Keith.

_Maybe...maybe I can't trust him…_ Keith's muscles weakened along with his resolve as he came to a stop halfway through the crowd, face blank as he stared helplessly at the pair fucking on stage. The rest of the crowd around him was just background noise to Keith at this point as his head hung, and the lights above seemed to focus on him like some sort of spotlight of shame. Then, came the tears.

Keith's nails dug into his palm harder than ever, and he could feel his knees shaking, threatening to collapse beneath him as hot, seething tears leaked from his eyes.

He'd trusted Lance. He'd trusted in _them_. He'd thought the words they exchanged meant something...but now, all he could feel was the despair in his own chest as he realized this might've been a long time coming.

Maybe he was a fool for trying any of this. Maybe it was stupid of him to think Lance could ever see him as something other than a customer, after all.

His knees officially gave in, and he began falling, fainting, sinking into his own dread…

But as he fell, his eyes caught sight of Lotor dragging Lance across the stage by his hair, and the sheer level of disgust in that one scene revitalized the fight in him.

His rage returned to him as quickly as it had died out, and he somehow found his footing before he had fallen all the way. That was wrong. This was wrong. It was _all_ wrong.

Maybe it was stupid to believe in Lance, and maybe Keith didn't mean anything to him; whatever the case, none of that mattered anymore. What mattered was that Lotor was holding Lance up to the crowd by his _hair_ , like a butchered piece of meat, and telling him to humiliate himself.

Personal feelings were suddenly no longer a concern to Keith, because what he was witnessing was the most disgustingly inhuman act he had ever seen.

He hated it. He hated what was happening on stage, he hated it for himself, because it hurt him...but he hated it for Lance most of all. Because no matter how Lance felt about it, his body was being abused and dehumanized, and Keith wouldn't stand for that. Whether Lance had ever been honest with him or not didn't matter; he didn't deserve what was happening to him right now.

Keith furiously shoved people aside once more as his eyes focused on Lance's face, trying to make out what his expression was. He wasn't sure, but he thought he could hear a cry of some sort…

"Fuck off!" One of the men he'd tossed aside got up and shoved him back, but Keith caught himself before he fell over, fire burning in his veins. He didn't have time for this.

"Get out of my way," he growled, too caught up in the moment to realize he was tossing a punch rather than just trying to get past. Before he knew it, the other guy was also tossing a punch, and they were straight up brawling. Keith could hardly comprehend it; he was still trying to focus on Lance while attacking this man.

"Hey, off! Now!" Multiple other men yanked Keith backwards, and though he thrashed and fought against them, this wasn't a superhero comic. He wasn't capable of throwing off multiple guys at once.

He was handed to a bouncer, who dragged him by the collar across the floor of the club while Keith violently lashed out in an attempt to get free. Only when cool air hit his face did he fully realize what was happening, teeth gritting in fury as the bouncer tossed him. His butt landed on the hard ground of the parking lot, sending painful shivers up his tailbone, but that was the least of his worries as he struggled to his feet.

"Let me back in! He needs me!" He rushed forward, but the bouncers immediately grabbed him by the arms.

"Shut up, you've had one too many drinks tonight, clearly. Go home for the night, bub."

Tears stung in Keith's eyes harder as he clawed at them. "No! Why?! Fuck!" He screeched as they dragged him across the parking lot more, and he kicked and fought because it was so unfair; there was so much injustice in it. The man on stage with Lance, Lotor, he should've been taken out by the bouncers, he was the one hurting people, he was hurting Lance. "LET ME GO!"

They tossed him farther away, dusting their hands and staring at him in contempt. His rage-filled eyes only further convinced them of his supposed drunk state, and they didn't even say another word as they left him there.

"FUCK!" Keith roared, clambering onto all fours and slamming his fists onto the ground. His body ached, his face felt bruised, and the skin on his hands was tearing as he pounded them against the black asphalt beneath him, but none of that mattered. All he could think about was the sight of Lotor dragging Lance by his hair to the edge of the stage, handling him like some object. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

His hair was matted to his head, and it was impossible to tell the difference between sweat and tears at this point as he looked up and glared at the Web of Sins in hatred.

That wasn't Lance. That Lance wasn't Lance, and even if he didn't fight it, he didn't deserve it. Maybe Keith didn't know Lance as well as he'd like, but he knew enough to know that he didn't deserve to continue believing he could be handled the way he had been on stage tonight.

Trying to break into the club again was useless, so Keith shakily got up and made his way to his car, teeth grinding together as pure rage pulsed through his entire body. He was breathing anger; seething in it. He couldn't believe any of it, and he couldn't believe the way people cheered for it.

He wouldn't stand for any of it. He wouldn't stand for watching this happen to Lance.

But first, he needed to know more.

***~Lance~***

Lance was the physical embodiment of exhaustion as he curled his body up against Lotor's chest, arms hanging loosely at his sides. Everything was passing by like panels in a comic book, just still image after still image, one scene after another. Only once they had sat down in the back of a limo and started pulling out of the Web's parking lot was Lance's brain able to catch up to everything that was happening.

"What…" He shifted as much as he could on Lotor's lap, still being held close while the man grinned down at him. Lotor had apparently gotten dressed again after the performance, but Lance was still very much naked. "Daddy...my clothes, I…"

"Shhh…" Lotor pressed his lips to Lance's forehead, spreading warmth beneath his skin. "It's okay, baby...you don't need your stuff. Daddy will take care of you."

"But…" Lance glanced around, still grasping at straws. "My phone...it's…"

"You don't need anything else, sweetie. I'm here." When Lotor kissed his forehead this time, he held his lips there for a long while, lighting up Lance's insides, and suddenly Lance believed him. He didn't need anything else right now. He had everything he needed. He had Lotor.

He bobbed his head a bit, doing his best to nod. "Okay…" He sighed.

Lance could hardly even feel the vehicle moving, and he wondered if it was because the night beyond the window was still and void of stars or if he was just that tired. It helped a little when Lotor began rocking him back and forth, whispering into his ear lullingly.

"Hey...I'm so sorry I left for a year, baby. Daddy's so sorry. Can you forgive me?"

The question seemed so absurd to Lance as he lifted his chin to look Lotor in the eyes, and he couldn't even remember that he'd been promised an explanation earlier that night. "Of course I forgive you, daddy." His voice was distant and tired, but it made him happy to see the look of joy and relief on Lotor's face. He'd put that look there. He'd made Lotor happy.

"You're so sweet for me, baby...so sweet. I promise I'm not going anywhere again. I'm taking you home now, baby. We're going home and I'm never leaving you again." Lotor pressed their lips together briefly before looking him in the eyes. "It must've been so hard on you...this past year must've been one of the worst times of your entire life...is that right?

Lance hesitated at that, doing everything he could to think it through, because somehow that line didn't seem quite right to him. He'd spent this entire past year trying to convince himself that things happened for a reason, including the pain inflicted upon him when Lotor left. Just recently, he'd thought the world had decided it was okay for him to try and recover, to start over, and so, he had. He'd started to become friends with Pidge and Hunk, he'd started to think about a purpose outside of performing for men, and he'd started to think about connecting with someone like Keith...the past year had certainly been hard, but were recent things really as bad as Lotor said they were? Was it really one of the worst times of his entire life?

_"I don't care how fucked up you are. I still love you."_

That's right. Everything Lance thought he felt during this past year had been a lie; because he'd been a lie. Nobody but Lotor knew anything about Lance. Nobody but Lotor knew how fucked up of a person Lance was. Only Lotor knew him and still loved him. Nobody else could know him and still love him. Not Pidge, not Hunk, not Keith...nobody.

Maybe things hadn't felt so bad recently...but that had just been a facade. Lance had just been leading himself into a mess of eventual pain and rejection, because he didn't know what he was doing without Lotor's guidance…

One year on his own had convinced him that maybe he didn't need Lotor, because that was easier; it was easy to forget something when it was absent. But now Lotor was here again, right in front of him, reminding him how much he needed him.

He had been stupid. He had been so stupid to think he could live a normal life with other people, to think that anyone other than Lotor could accept him.

"It's okay…" Lotor assured in a hushed tone, stroking his hair gently.

Lance clung onto Lotor's words, each syllable feeling like the drop of an angel's feathers, leading him back to where he belonged.

"I'm here now. I'm back to take care of you. To make sure you're loved. I know the past year has been horrible to you…so, tell you what..." Lotor cradled Lance closer, fingers stroking his cheek so lightly they felt ethereal. "...you can go ahead and cry out all the pain of the past year to me, right now. Go on; go ahead. Don't worry, I'm here for you baby. Cry the entire past year out, get everything out; and we can start back where we left off."

Something inside Lance snapped, like a dam trying to press back on an overflowing fountain suddenly broke, and not a second after Lotor's words, Lance was burying his face into Lotor's chest, hot tears flooding down the sides of his face.

He couldn't make out words; only pained sobs of loneliness as his fingers clutched onto Lotor's shirt desperately. He cried for all the nights he'd spent alone, praying for Lotor to come back for him, he cried for all the hours he'd spent in his bathroom breaking down and refusing to go to work, he cried for the infinite amount of times he'd spread his leg so some man could occupy his body and mind, and he cried for how hard he'd tried to move forward when all he was ever going to get was more pain and suffering.

Lance cried with the intensity of a tsunami, drowning himself in his own sorrow. He did exactly as Lotor instructed; he cried out everything that had happened to him in the past year, knowing that all of it had meant nothing, knowing that all this time, he'd just been a piece of useless, directionless garbage without Lotor. He cried, because he was finally safe again in the arms of the only man who could ever love his messed up self.

And as he cried, pruney face buried in Lotor's shirt while he shivered and hiccupped and sobbed, one year's worth of 'healing' flowed away like a leaf down a river - lost.

Forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a saying that goes something like, "it's easy to say no to something when it isn't there in front of you, but it's hard to look straight at it and say 'no, this isn't what I want anymore'." ROUGHLY something like that. That's sorta the idea here, although there's definitely some deeper layers here that we haven't completely seen. And before you ask, the whole 'daddy' thing is not supposed to be kinky. It's very much creepy in this context, and if it makes you uncomfortable, it's supposed to. Lotor is not a character you're going to be 'comfortable' with reading xP


	8. A Fly in a Web

Nightmares tended to be pretty recurrent for Lance every time he went to bed; really the only thing that differed between nights was the context of what he'd see in his nightmares. Sometimes they were about real life events, things to do with his family or Lotor, and other times, it was just him alone. Just...alone. Either way, he was used to the whole routine of waking up in a cold sweat by now, and it was no different this morning as he blinked awake, chest heavy and mind fresh with torment from his dream of wandering aimlessly amongst a black space.

There were many times where he cried himself to sleep and equally as many times where he would cry himself awake, and right now, that was all he wanted to do as he gripped his bare chest beneath the blanket.

An arm suddenly snaked around his waist, offering him instant physical comfort as he gasped and instinctively leaned backwards into Lotor's body warmth. His heart leapt a bit as Lotor hugged him closer, and a smile spread across his face as he eased himself back against his daddy's chest. That's right, he had to calm down. It was okay. Lotor was here for him now. Lotor had come back for him.

He focused on the sound of Lotor's breaths and the rhythmic beat of his heart, doing his best to match it until he found himself in a much more tranquil stasis. Everything would be okay from now on. He was safe.

He had no interest in getting up without Lotor, so he just propped his head up more on the soft pillow and glanced around the room.

It was familiar. It was all familiar, everything about this, from spooning with Lotor and seeking comfort in his body warmth to waking up to the sight of a pleasantly white, large room lined with picture frames on the walls...it brought back memories, and evoked a slight pang in Lance's chest.

A sigh escape him as he observed the pictures, smile stretching far across his face at all the memories. There was a picture of him and Lotor leaning against each other, sitting beneath a tree; he remembered that date from the first summer they met. Another picture showed them laughing in front of a blue cake, enjoying celebrating Lance's birthday together. Then, there were dozens more of them just hugging and kissing and Lance sitting on Lotor's lap while making funny faces.

Lance could feel a lump forming in his throat as he took in all the memories, heart throbbing and pounding against his chest as if it was reaching out to the pictures. His eyes grew wetter with each one he looked at, but he welcomed the emotion gladly. It was so overwhelming to him to be here again, to get to see all of this again. He'd gone through so much to convince himself he could never have this again, but here he was.

He was back.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?"

He jumped a bit at the sound of Lotor's voice and immediately turned around so they were facing each other. His heart did another leap as Lotor grinned at him, and he was very quickly remembering how charming Lotor's morning face was.

"They've been up all this time. Even when neither of us occupied this room, the photos never left. They've been waiting for us to come back to them." He gently let his hand fall flat against Lance's cheek, thumb rubbing down against his chin and making Lance squirm.

"Daddy…" He whispered, eyes shutting in bliss as he leaned into the touch and scooted forward into Lotor's body even more. "...me too. I waited, too."

Lotor smiled as his hand moved down to hold Lance's chin in between his fingers. "And here we are, now."

They moved together, lips meeting halfway in a chaste morning kiss and offering all the sunlight Lance could possibly need. His nightmare was long forgotten by now.

Lotor sat up after the kiss, turning to the door. "Narti!"

The door opened to reveal a darker-skinned woman in a fancy suit, sunglasses blocking her eyes as she walked over with a rather large plate. One of Lotor's maids.

Lance followed Lotor's example and sat up as she came to the bedside and set the plate down on the table next to the bed, taking a bow before showing herself out.

One look at the plate made his stomach twist; there were danishes and muffins, both almond and blueberry, dispersed on the platter in a very aesthetically pleasing manner. Unfortunately, the visual was the only thing he could enjoy as Lotor rose a muffin to his mouth appreciatively, taking the first bite for himself. Then, he offered it to Lance, who curled back a bit.

"Oh...uh...what?" He muttered uncertainly, hoping Lotor wasn't suggesting what he thought he was suggesting.

Lotor glanced from the muffin to Lance, nodding a bit. "It's breakfast. Eat."

Lance instinctively hugged his stomach in a subconscious effort to protect himself. "I...can't...you know I can't…" Aside from being anxious, he was straight up confused. Lotor always used to be the one to tell him not to eat, otherwise he'd risk getting fat and ruining his body.

"Sweetie, you have to eat." Lotor handed him the pastry, forcing him to take it. "It isn't healthy to never eat. Don't make your daddy worry about you."

That line made Lance wince, because he didn't want to worry Lotor, but...he didn't want to eat, either. He just stared at Lotor, hoping he would change his mind, but he was unrelenting and waited for Lance to do as he said. "...okay."

Lance pursed his lips together and slowly rose the muffin to his mouth, taking a small bite. Despite the situation, he was pretty happy that Lotor cared enough to think about his health realistically. It was surprising, since he was the one who taught Lance his eating habits, but it made him happy nonetheless.

With each bite Lance took, he could feel his stomach churning more and more in rejection and discomfort, and he constantly watched Lotor's face to look for any sign that he could stop. Eating a muffin in the morning made him feel so disgusting; eating in general made him feel so disgusting, and he just wanted to stop, but he wanted to please Lotor more. So, even if it would kill him, he chose to bite down into the muffin, cringing and tearing up over how sweet it was. He would never understand how something like a muffin could be considered breakfast food.

He made it about one-third of the way through the muffin before he suddenly felt sick, and he desperately held it back out towards Lotor, shrinking beneath his gaze. "Daddy...no more…? Can I stop now, daddy? Is that good enough?" He gulped, cringing some more at the blueberry taste in his mouth.

Lotor looked up thoughtfully, keeping Lance's anxiety nice and fresh. Then, he held out his hand and accepted the muffin. "Very well. You did good, baby. Daddy's so proud of you."

Lance beamed at that, feeling better already now that the muffin wasn't in his hands, and he scooted closer to Lotor while burying his face into his arm. "Thank you, daddy!"

He snuggled into Lotor and purred as fingers ran through his hair, just petting and stroking as opposed to the harsh grabbing from last night when they had sex on stage. He knew Lotor just liked being rough, and Lance liked it, too; he just had to get used to it again. He just had to readjust to his life with Lotor.

"The photos really do bring back fond memories, don't they?" Lotor mused, sitting up in the bed more, but not pausing his petting for a second.

"They do..." Lance sighed, eyes falling shut as he let himself get absorbed in this moment, just him and Lotor and cuddling and petting...it was familiar, and he had sorely missed it.

Lotor pulled him back a bit and turned him so they could gaze upon the photos together. "...would you like to make more good memories?"

Lance's eyes lit up as he turned to Lotor, hands tugging at the blanket excitedly. "Yes! Yes, yes I do! I want to make more memories together, daddy!" The thought of having fun and spending time together like they used to, like they were in all the photos, made Lance want to jump out of his skin. This was something he for sure thought was lost forever...but Lotor was back for him, and they could do everything together again.

"Okay." Lotor kissed his forehead, sending rainbows and butterflies bursting through Lance's stomach. "How about we go have some fun today and take pictures? Does that sound fun? Daddy will take you shopping, baby, and I'll buy you anything and everything. You can get all the pretty clothes you want."

Lance was already imagining how fun that would be, how amazing it sounded to just run around clothing stores, picking out pieces of sexy wear and letting Lotor fantasize about what he'd look like in them. Dressing himself up for Lotor had always been one of his favorite things to do; he still remembered that very clearly.

"That sounds fun, daddy!" He agreed, jumping forward into Lotor's chest and wrapping his arms around his neck with a giggle.

"Doesn't it? Now come on! Let's get dressed!" Lotor got out of bed with Lance still clinging onto him, spinning a bit and making Lance giggle in glee some more. This was nice. It felt so pleasing to be able to be like this with his daddy again, it was almost euphoric even, simply because he'd never imagined this would ever be an opportunity he'd get again.

They dressed quickly, and although Lance's ass was still pretty sore, he fought through it. He didn't want Lotor suggesting they stay back just because of his soreness; he wanted to go out and have fun.

He was bubbling over with excitement as they left the bedroom, leaning and clinging onto Lotor's arm with a bounce in each step. They descended a flight of stairs that lead to the first floor, and Lance couldn't help but hum a happy tune, resting his head against Lotor's shoulder. As they completed the final step, however, Lance turned to his right, and the first thing he saw was a familiar, scratched door, literally oozing despair and horror.

All at once, Lance let go of Lotor's arm and even took a few shaky steps away from him as the world suddenly drained of all color. The warmth flushed out of his skin, replaced with the cold, unforgiving darkness of the void closing in around him. His knees gave out beneath him, and he might've let out a few shaky gasps and screams, but he could barely focus on the real world right now because the only thing in front of his eyes, in his mind, was that door, that awful door, the _cellar_ door.

_No, no, no, please, no, stop, no more, please…_

Sweat dripped down his forehead and his eyes were bulging wide as he shivered on the floor, flinching every time Lotor reached out to him. He could hear a constant stream of shrieks and cries, each one louder than the last, each one belonging to him, prompting him to repeat even more pleading phrases in his head in an attempt to drown them out until finally-

"Baby, come here!" Lotor wrapped his arms around Lance's coiled body forcefully, refusing to let him push him away. "Hey, come on sweetie, I'm right here, and you're right here, and we're okay." His fingers stroked the back of Lance's head slowly but aggressively, to make sure he could actually feel Lotor's hands on him, and it was helping a little bit. "Listen, baby. The cellar stays closed as long as you behave. You never have to see it. We won't have any issues; because you _will_ behave." All at once, Lotor's voice turned from warm and comforting to icy and threatening. "Won't you?"

Lance whimpered, coming back to his senses a bit out of fear. If he kept sitting here, crying, would it displease Lotor? He couldn't displease Lotor; couldn't afford to. One wrong move, and he'd end up down there. One wrong move, and the cellar doors would open.

"I…" He choked back on his shaky voice, trying to clear his throat to speak more coherently. Lotor's eyes weren't wavering for a second, watching him as if daring him to mess up. "I will behave myself…" He squeaked out, tears budding in the corners of his eyes as he leaned into Lotor and prayed that he wouldn't have to see the cellar door anymore.

There was a bit of a pause between them, keeping Lance's fear and suspense high, before Lotor helped him back up and kissed away his tears, thumb stroking his bottom lip lightly. When he pulled back, the look in his eyes was one of satisfaction; triumph, even.

"That's my boy." He whispered, placing one final kiss on Lance's quivering lips before leading the way towards the door.

Lance was still shaken from the entire incident. He'd never really _forgotten_ the cellar, and he'd had plenty of nightmares about it, but he hadn't had to confront it in person like that in a very long time…

Just being left where he was, with Lotor a few feet in front of him, made him suddenly feel far too exposed and alone, and he ran to catch up with his daddy so he could cling to his arm again; but this time, it wasn't out of excitement. It was out of fear. Fear of being left behind.

He would behave himself. If that was what it took to keep the cellar door closed, he would do everything Lotor said, even more so than usual. He couldn't go back there...he couldn't…

He wouldn't. He would be a good boy. He would obey Lotor.

***

"Here we are," Lotor announced, leading Lance out of the limo and towards the mall.

Lance gasped with wide eyes as he shuffled close to Lotor, still clinging to his arm and leaning towards him as they walked in. Shopping had always been one of Lance's favorite things to do, because it was one of the only times he could indulge in things that he liked and get stuff for himself, and, obviously, for Lotor. Buying things Lotor would like was definitely a big focus for him...even though it'd been a while since he'd gone shopping with Lotor…

...that's right. Last time he'd gone shopping had been with someone else...it'd been with Keith...and this was even the exact same mall…

"Come on, baby, don't hold daddy up. Don't you want to go shopping? Daddy wants to see you doing something you love."

He hadn't even realized he'd stopped walking, thus stopping Lotor too, and he immediately squealed and let Lotor string him along again. "S-sorry! I'm sorry, daddy!" He buried his face into Lotor's arm, silently pleading him not to open the cellar for holding him back.

Right. What was Lance doing? He couldn't go thinking about someone else, about Keith, when he was with Lotor. That was the entire reason he'd been such a lazy dancer as of lately; because he spent so much time thinking about things he shouldn't be thinking about. There should only be Lotor in his head and his heart, nothing else. This was exactly the bad behavior Lotor had been talking about. He had to be better if he wanted to make sure Lotor didn't have to punish him the way he had last night.

They walked into the mall, and Lance just leaned his head on Lotor and let his daddy lead him wherever he wanted. Lotor probably knew all of Lance's favorite stores, so he would just let him decide where he would let Lance shop. It was easier that way. If Lotor was making the decisions, Lance would have less chances to mess up like he always did.

"Here, babe. I know you love the clothes and the jewelry here." Lotor stopped to let Lance look up at the store, and his eyes widened when he did.

_Balmera_. Almost immediately, there were more flashbacks playing out before his eyes, memories of his time in here with Keith and just the memory of their entire time in the mall; like the first time Keith opened up to him.

_Stop it_ , he scolded himself, clinging to Lotor harder. This was bad. He was being bad. Keith didn't know him. If he did, he would've dropped Lance there at the store like garbage at a landfill. He was with Lotor, and Lotor was what he needed. Lotor was _all_ he needed.

He forced himself to perk up with excitement. "Can I?" He looked up at Lotor, who returned his look with a smile.

"Go for it, sweetie. Buy all the pretty things you want." He leaned down to capture Lance's lips before gently pushing him along and letting him rush ahead into the store.

Lance's head was still in a slight state of disarray, but maybe he was still just getting used to Lotor being here again. It was hard to adjust after he'd had to convince himself that he could never have this again, after all. For now, occupying himself by shopping and picking out clothes sounded pretty nice, so that was what he did, rushing off to find the lingerie section since he knew where that was.

They were here to make new memories, things they could hang up in picture frames in their room to go along with all their other memories, so Lance was going to enjoy this as much as he could. He started off with a stringy blue thong and quickly rushed back to find Lotor, smiling widely and enthusiastically.

"Daddy! Look!" He held the revealing piece of clothing down in front of his hips to give Lotor a visual, wiggling his thighs back and forth a bit to show his excitement. He didn't care that they were in public, since, no one was paying attention to them anyways. "What do you think? Does it look okay? Should I get it?"

Lotor grinned and stepped forward to kiss the top of his head. "It looks great, sweetie."

Those simple words had Lance beaming, and he could've jumped with joy at that as he threw his arms around Lotor. "I'm gonna find more. Be right back!"

He rushed off to grab more clothes, whether it be of the revealing type or just comfort clothing, and made sure to have quite a few stacked in his arms before hurrying back to Lotor.

"Look, look! Does this one look good? How about this one?" He held different shirts and shorts to his body, sometimes in combinations, trying to get Lotor's advice on what he should and shouldn't buy. He wanted to buy stuff that he liked, but he also wanted to make sure he only got things if it'd please Lotor. That was all Lotor would want to see, after all. If he bought anything ugly, he wouldn't be allowed to wear it, and it'd be a waste of money.

He went through clothes hanger after clothes hanger, holding them all off to the side until he got to his last one; a pink lace bralette. "How...how about this one? I know it isn't my usual color but I...I thought it was pretty and...do you think I look good?" He shuffled his knees nervously. He thought it looked nice, but if Lotor decided he looked gross in the color, then so be it.

Instead of straight up answering him, though, Lotor stepped forward and pulled Lance into a hug, pressing his lips to his forehead with a small chuckle that made Lance's cheeks flush. "Baby, you look good in _everything_. That's why I told you to buy whatever you want. It doesn't matter what you buy, because you're the cutest thing in the world no matter what."

He began placing more fast kisses in Lance's hair, making him giggle and nuzzle his way into Lotor's chest, both embarrassed and flattered.

"That's not true, daddy! Stop that, it tickles!" His smile was spreading across his face faster and faster as his cheeks heated up from all the affection he was getting, and even though he said to stop, his heart sank a little when Lotor really did pull back.

"I love you so much, sweetie." He returned Lance's smile, and they stared into each other's eyes silently for a good minute before Lotor cupped his cheek lightly. "Alright. Now finish up your shopping here so we can move on to the next store."

Lance beamed and nodded, hugging his daddy one last time before rushing off to the jewelry section, because he couldn't possibly leave Balmera without looking through their crystals, first!

The sapphire necklaces were always so beautiful to Lance, cut into a plethora of different shapes and glistening at every angle even without much lighting. It was breathtaking, and it reminded him of the ocean and just made him so happy! One in particular caught his eye; a deep blue, almost indigo looking sapphire cut in the shape of a shark attached to the ends of a golden lace. It looked like something straight out of a treasure chest, and he couldn't help but to grab it and hold it up to his neck in the mirror, marveling at how beautiful it was. His mouth was literally gaping open at how it sparkled despite its darker shade, and the gold of the lacing was just the cherry on top. He needed this, he needed to show this off to Lotor and to wear this as much as he could to give the beautiful jewel the appreciation it deserved and-

"Hello!"

Lance jumped at the sound of a voice that wasn't Lotor's, turning to see a familiarly larger-built girl in a workers uniform with the name tag 'Shay'. His heart immediately doubled its pace as he curled into himself awkwardly, trying to avoid eye contact.

"It's 'Lance', right? I remember your other friend calling you that last time...I tend to remember customers with pretty names." She laughed to herself, voice sweetly high, but stopped when Lance gave no reaction. "So...is that for you?" She gestured towards the necklace, and Lance just looked around uncertainly.

This was bad. He shouldn't be in this situation...he shouldn't be having a conversation with someone else...not without Lotor's permission, at least. But, she was a girl and a worker, so maybe it was okay?

"Um...yes…" He muttered slowly, gasping when she took a step forward.

"It's a real beauty, isn't it? Mind if I see? I have an affinity for crystals." She held her hand out, and Lance was getting more anxious by the second, silently wishing she would just go away and leave him alone, but he didn't have it in him to tell her that...so, he gave in and handed the necklace over.

Shay held the jewel up in front of her eyes, observing it with an interested hum. "Hmm...you have fantastic taste! This is actually a star sapphire, which is different from a normal sapphire in that it contains inclusions of the mineral rutile. Do you see the natural glow it gives off? That's caused by the rutile additions in the crystal, making it extra pretty!" She sighed, smiling fondly. "I don't think it would work for me, but you'll look amazing wearing it. It matches your eyes so well it's almost like it was made for you."

Lance didn't understand much of what she was saying, and even though he still found it interesting, he couldn't shake off the anxiety gnawing at his bones, making him tremble and shiver ever so slightly. Hearing her say it was made for him did make him happy, though, and he managed to give her a small smile before reaching forward, wanting to just end this conversation and pretend it never happened so he wouldn't get in trouble. It appeared it was too late for that, though, and his stomach twisted sickly as a shadow suddenly fell over him.

"Hand it over. It's for him."

Shay blinked in surprise as Lotor appeared out of nowhere, quickly handing the necklace back to Lance. "No, of course! I just thought I'd inspect it for him is all. It...it's very pretty." She seemed confused to see Lotor with Lance, but didn't question it as Lotor rested a hand on Lance's ass.

"Indeed it is. You like looking pretty in that, don't you baby? You like looking pretty for all the men in your life?" Lotor squeezed his ass harder, and Lance could feel embarrassment and humiliation creeping up his body to his face as he cast his eyes to the ground, tears dotting his vision as he hesitated to answer. When Lotor's nails dug into his ass, however, he knew he didn't have a choice.

"...yes…" He whispered, biting his trembling lower lip.

Lotor leaned down, breathing into his ear with no concern for the woman still watching them. "...yes _what_?"

Lance choked back a sob, squeezing his eyes shut from how embarrassing this was. "...yes _daddy_ …" He hesitantly looked up to observe Shay's face.

Her eyes were wide with shock as Lotor stared her down with a smile, and she slowly began backing away. "I…" Her gaze drifted to Lance, and the uncertainty and disbelief in her expression made him look away again, chest suddenly incredibly tight with shame. "I'm sorry…" She bowed her head slightly to Lotor before turning tail and fleeing the scene, leaving just the two of them.

Lance kept quiet for a few seconds, not knowing what to say or if he should even say anything, but when Lotor didn't make an effort to move or speak, he figured he should do something and turned to look up at Lotor. "I'm sor-!"

SMACK.

Red danced across Lance's vision as a sharp pain shot through his face, knocking him off of his feet until he was groveling in Lotor's shadow, hugging himself and crying in pain. His hand slowly reached up to caress the side of his face that Lotor had struck while looking up with large, leaking eyes. When he saw the fury on Lotor's face, his body only trembled harder than it already had been.

"You're a stupid piece of shit, you know that?!" Lotor growled, hateful glare focused only on Lance with no concern for the pairs of eyes that had turned their way. "You're a stupid shit for trying to talk to somebody else, stupider than I ever thought you'd be. You know people just want to use you, you know people will just treat you like fucking garbage, and yet you still do it! Fuck! You're so useless without me you can't even go off on your own for a minute before getting into some shit like this!"

Tears were raining down Lance's cheek and onto the floor now as he got up onto all fours and bowed his head at Lotor's feet, fighting the trembling that threatened to collapse his knees and elbows. "I-I'm sorry! Please, I'm so sorry, please daddy…" He slowly reached up to hold onto Lotor's pants, desperation and terror controlling his muscles. "Please, please don't put me back in the cellar...please, I don't want to go down there again, I can be good, I promise…! Please…"

His face fell towards the floor again as he sobbed and repeated 'please' over and over again. His head was feeling light, not just because of the slap, but because he was overcome with fear and anxiety over what Lotor was going to do to him for being so stupid. He shut his eyes, squeezing tears out as he waited for the punishment.

Instead of another hit, however, Lotor crouched down until he was eye level with Lance and cupped each side of his face in his hands, thumb caressing the spot where he'd been slapped. "Shhh...look at me, baby. Look at daddy."

Lance's cheek was still stinging, but he leaned into Lotor's touch anyways and slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry with tears, but he could see Lotor looking at him with sincerity.

"I do this for you, baby. I only hit you for your own good. I'm only trying to protect you, and teach you. Other people; they don't give a shit about you. Nobody gives a shit about you. Didn't you see the way that girl looked at you when you said 'daddy'? She was so disgusted by you. She hated you. Nobody could love you, especially not when they know the real you."

Lance did his best to press his lips together, but he failed to contain his sobs as his arms wrapped around himself, and he rocked back and forth, squeezing the sapphire necklace in his hands. His heart pricked with each word, because Lotor was right. Nobody gave a shit about him, and nobody _wanted_ to give a shit about him.

"Except for me, of course," Lotor continued, wiping at Lance's tears, though it was impossible to get rid of them all. "I love you, baby, and I want the best for you, but not everyone is like me. Only I put up with you even though I know how fucked up you can be. Only I truly love you and everything about you. Only I want you in my life."

Lotor's hands were rubbing the side of his face now, and even though hearing Lotor say he loved him should've instantly made Lance feel better, his heart was still throbbing with hurt, and tears were only pouring down his face faster. Despite all this, he nodded, because he understood that Lotor was right.

Dozens of people were watching them, whispering to each other as Lance crept forward into Lotor's chest, and while it was humiliating to be punished in public, Lance couldn't complain about it, because he knew he deserved it. Nobody did anything to try and step in when Lotor hit him, so that was proof that he deserved it.

He cried in Lotor's arms for a while, ignoring the prolonged stares of many customers before Lotor helped him up to his feet, glancing around at all the people.

"Come on, baby. It's time for us to leave."

Lance swallowed down another sob and nodded, quickly clinging back onto Lotor's arm for comfort. "Y-yeah…"

They turned towards the exit, but they didn't even make it two steps before Lotor stopped and turned to Lance with dark, disapproving eyes. "Oh, but first...toss that disgusting trash away. You let somebody else touch it before me." His eyes traveled down to the pretty necklace in Lance's hands. "It'll look hideous on you now." He ripped his arm out of Lance's hold and walked away without him, leaving Lance looking after him in bewilderment and hesitation.

He held the necklace up in front of his eyes, poking at the elegant blue shark-shaped jewel longingly. No matter how pretty it was, though, he knew he couldn't, and he sadly hung it back on its rack before hurrying after Lotor, not daring to try clinging onto his arm again since he'd already been denied that luxury once. He didn't deserve it after the stunt he'd pulled back there, talking to someone without permission.

As they made for the exit, several pairs of judgemental eyes continued to watch them, following them the entire way out as Lance hugged himself and quickly scurried over to their limo, desperate to just get out of there.

"Since you messed up so badly, you don't get to shop anymore for today. Come on, get in." Lotor ordered, sliding into the back seat.

Lance felt another pang in his chest, but it was completely reasonable that he would lose shopping privileges, so he didn't cry and just did as he was told, crawling in after Lotor and letting him pull Lance onto his lap, which was where he always sat.

He watched the mall disappear behind them as they drove off, with Lotor pulling his head close into his chest. His forehead rubbed against his daddy as he curled into a ball on his lap, gulping and wiping at his face as the tears finally stopped. He didn't know where they were going now, and he didn't know what to say, so he just sat in silence and prayed that he wouldn't be taken to the cellar. Anything but the cellar…

Lotor's hands rested in his hair, fingers lightly stroking each strand as he sighed. "Your behavior has become so bad in just one year. I'm so disappointed in you. You'd better learn to be a good boy again."

Lance squeezed his eyes shut and desperately cuddled closer to Lotor, giving him a small nod. "I'm sorry, daddy…" He whispered, ashamed of himself for disappointing Lotor. "I'll be a good boy...I promise." He would have to be if he wanted to avoid deserving more punishments like the one from earlier.

***~Keith~***

Final exams were coming up in just a few weeks, but Keith couldn't focus on anything other than what happened last night, and it felt like a godsend when he finally got a break between classes.

He rushed towards Shiro's classroom as quickly as he could and practically kicked the door down, pausing his quick breaths in relief when he saw Matt and Shiro sitting and talking.

"Keith! Careful with the doors," Shiro warned, acknowledging him with a nod as Matt waved energetically. Keith wasn't in the mood for such casual talk, though, and he stomped over to Matt, gripping his shoulders tightly and shaking him.

"Matt, please. Tell me everything you know about Lance and Lotor's relationship." He stared Matt straight in the eyes to intimidate him just in case he disagreed for some reason, making the man wiggle against his hands uncomfortably.

"Um…"

"Please! Come on, tell me everything you know!" He shook his shoulders some more, prompting Matt to grumble and scoot away.

"Okay, okay, geez! I swear, you're always coming to me about this stuff…I don't know much about it, anyways. All I know is that it used to creep me out and stuff."

Keith's eyes widened at that, and he immediately leaned towards Matt again. "'Creep you out'? What do you mean by that? Explain!"

"Space! Please!" Matt groaned, leaning back and pushing Keith away. "Why do you even wanna know? Isn't this something you should be asking Lance about since you're dating? Or is he keeping secrets from you-"

"Matt." Shiro warned, tossing him a sharp glare that shut him up immediately.

Keith was thankful for that as he sighed and sat in a chair nearby, folding his hands in his lap and gluing his eyes to the ground solemnly.

"I...I don't know if we're dating anymore." He admitted, tapping his foot against the tiled floor. "Last night, while Lance was performing, Lotor showed up and...he had sex with Lance before carrying him away. I tried calling and texting Lance, but everything just went to voicemail, and I didn't get any replies…" He sighed, covering his face with his hands in exasperation. "I just...don't know what to do!"

Matt and Shiro exchanged a look before Matt approached him, setting his hand on Keith's shoulder this time. "Hey...I'm uh...I'm sorry. I'll tell you what I know, but...it's honestly sorta uncomfortable just thinking about it."

Keith looked up at Matt thankfully, but he was sort of anxious, as well. He could just see how visibly uncomfortable Matt seemed as he cleared his throat.

"I didn't personally know Lotor, never talked to the dude, and I never really talked to Lance either until Lotor was already gone. Although, Lance really didn't associated with _anybody_ until Lotor quit, I guess."

Keith rose an eyebrow at that. "What? Why? Why did he quit?"

"Look, can I just talk?" Matt suggested, glaring at Keith pointedly. "Most of what I know about Lotor can basically be summed up in one sentence; he's rich. Like, filthy stinking rich. He's the son of Zarkon Daibazaal, you know, that shady head of the Galra Pharmacies, heads a bunch of medical businesses and stuff? Yeah, that guy. Anyways, one day, Lance debuted as a partner for Lotor. They would perform together and have sex on stage for men's entertainment, because, you know, the Web is crazy and shit...it's so crazy, that their public sex routines quickly made them the most popular dancers in the entire Web; mostly Lance. Lotor never really showed himself off for the taking, but Lance was performing for guys all the time. It was definitely uncomfortable to watch how not-mutual their relationship was. Like...Lance is putting himself on display for guys but Lotor doesn't have to? Pretty suspicious if you ask me. Although, I was always under the impression that Lotor was just Lance's sugar daddy since…" He paused, face reddening a bit. "He uh...he called Lotor…'daddy'. Like...all the time. Even off-stage. God, it's weird just saying it…"

Keith's ears perked as he frowned. "Wait, so...their relationship is that Lotor is a sugar daddy, giving him money?"

"Well, I don't know that for sure. A lot of my knowledge on them is limited, remember, so don't take my word as law or anything. Like I said, it was uncomfortable and awkward just to look at for me, so I preferred not to pay attention to it. Plus, you know, they were racking in a ton of money…" Matt cleared his throat, stopping himself before he went off on a jealous rant about how much more money they made than him. "Anyways, another thing that always put me off about their relationship was, just, Lance was so clingy to the dude...like, Lotor was a tree and Lance was a koala. I'm willing to bet he literally slept on him like a tree. That amount of clinginess is not okay. It's just annoying-"

"Lance isn't annoying," Keith growled, narrowing his eyes at Matt as the boy backed away.

"Oh, uh, right, haha...oh! Right! Another thing!" He raised a finger, clearly trying to direct attention away from his earlier insult. "I remember one time I was backstage, and I saw them talking, and Lotor just straight up slapped Lance. That shit was super distasteful, and I hated their relationship ever...since…"

Keith's eyes widened in rage, and he didn't even realize he'd slammed his fist down against his chair, interrupting Matt.

"Keith…" Shiro muttered, standing up cautiously, but Keith wasn't in the mood to be patient.

"He...he fucking _hit_ Lance?!" Flashbacks to last night ran through Keith's head as he pictured all the times Lotor had spanked Lance, and then the way he'd dragged him by his hair…

Keith was out of his seat in an instant, gritting his teeth together like he was trying to bite through his own enamel and digging his nails into his heated, sweaty palms. "I need to get to the bottom of this…"

"Keith! Let's go about this rationally." Shiro recommended, stepping out from behind his desk.

Keith's heart was pounding with adrenaline, not just out of fury, but out of fear. If Lotor was hitting Lance regularly, and Lance continued to stay in a relationship with him, whatever that relationship was, he didn't even want to think about what they could be doing at this very moment. Lotor had carried Lance away with him, and none of his texts or calls had been answered.

"Shiro, you don't understand," he snarled. He wasn't trying to sound aggressive against Shiro, but he couldn't help it. "This is _dangerous_ , Lance, he...he already has these self-depreciating ideas in his head...I'll bet it's connected to Lotor." Keith's teeth grinded down harder, hard enough to chip his tooth as he made the connection. It made a lot of sense. It took a pretty long time for Lance to learn that Keith truly didn't just want him around for sex; nobody was like that just because.

Keith used to think Lance's job dancing and having sex with men was the cause for his mindset, which was a part of why he had been so happy when Lance announced he wouldn't be having sex anymore, but now that he thought about it, that wouldn't make sense. Lance took quite some pride in being a stripper, so his job probably wouldn't mess with him like that. It must've had something to do with his job as a stripper _with Lotor_.

"I need to get to the bottom of this." Keith concluded, turning for the door.

"Keith, wait!" Matt shouted, succeeding in stopping Keith in his tracks.

He turned to glare at Matt impatiently, but for once, Matt looked like he wanted to genuinely help Keith instead of just giving him shit like usual.

"After Lotor left, Lance and my sister Katie became pretty good friends, as I've told you before. It's possible he's told her more about it, or that she just knows more, because, Katie just knows things sometimes. If you want to know more, it might be worth a shot asking her about it. Or I can if you want?"

Keith blinked in surprise at Matt actually being helpful, and the suggestion was definitely a good one that he'd have to keep in mind. "Thanks, Matt, but it's like you said. I should try and ask Lance about this first. I'm gonna try and talk to him at the club tonight." He turned to walk out the door again, eyes narrowed in determination. "Then I'll see what to do from there."

He was still seething with rage, using it as an outlet for his anxiousness, but he still had it in him to let his heart warm a bit as Shiro whispered a 'good luck' from behind him.

Good luck. He was sure he was going to need it.

***~Lance~***

After the entire incident at Balmera, Lance killed all hopes he had of being able to enjoy the rest of the day. He was certain Lotor would just punish him more, because maybe he deserved it. It was hard to tell exactly when he deserved punishment and just how much he deserved sometimes, so he'd learned to just assume the worst. Or, rather, one year ago, he'd learned to assume the worst. Now, he was just picking up where they'd left off.

When the limo came to a stop, he lifted his head from Lotor's chest to see a beach through the window, warm tan sand adjacent to the cerulean lake, quiet and still. There were no waves or ripples, no gulls, not even any other people in sight. It painted the perfect scene of a daunting, lonesome beach, noiseless and humid during weekdays and buzzing with heads and the smell of pizza shacks on weekend afternoons. Lance could just imagine it; clusters of little kids dunking each other a little too deep into the water, that one group of supposed cool kids who always brought a beach ball and a net, that one pale girl who would tag along with her friends every now and then to try and tan herself out...and then, on those slower, quieter, lonelier days, he could just imagine the form of a shirtless, long-legged shadow, diving through the water and swimming desperately towards the sun at the water's edge; desperately towards salvation.

A tear slowly ran down Lance's cheek as the nostalgia flashed before his eyes all within the span of a few seconds, just from one look at the beach. Sure, he'd never been to this exact beach before, but it was still a beach, and that was enough to trigger memories in him.

"...daddy…?" He turned his head away from the lake lapping lazily at the sandy shore, blinking his tears away as he observed Lotor's smile. "Daddy...why are we here?"

A part of him figured he'd been brought here to be forced to remember things, for punishment, but Lotor cupped his cheek and kissed at his tear, trailing the wetness all the way back up to the corner of his eye and pulling back with one final, light smooch.

"I know, baby. It's scary, I know. But you can't run away forever." His hands wrapped around Lance's head and stroked his hair, giving light scratches every now and then as Lance bowed his head down dejectedly.

"Shhh...come on, baby. Come on. We haven't taken any new pictures for the wall." His fingers trailed down to Lance's chin, forcing him to look back up at Lotor again. "Don't you want more pictures? More memories? We can replace the bad memories with newer, better ones. Does that sound fun?"

Lance's face slowly lit up at that, and he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Lotor and rubbing his face back and forth into his chest affectionately. "Yes! Yes, that sounds fun, daddy. I want to do that, I want to make more memories. Can we?"

His eyes were glistening with excitement as Lotor snickered and kissed him on the forehead long and tenderly.

"We can."

Lance was practically bouncing out of his shoes as they got out of the limo, and as soon as they shut the door behind them, he grabbed Lotor's wrist and tugged him in the direction of the lakeshore.

"Come on, come on!" He took in the sight of the lake as he ran towards it. It was so despondent and lifeless...just like that memory of a small boy standing in the shallow edges, rough, stony sand between his toes.

Well, no more. Today, he and Lotor would wipe the slate clean. Today, he would wash away his nostalgia associated with the beach and create something new; something better.

He kicked his shoes off and ran towards the water with Lotor watching a few feet away on the sand, nodding encouragingly for Lance to just have fun. "Go on, baby."

Lance beamed at him and ran into the water, laughing as it splashed up onto him and all over his clothes. He could care less, though. He bounded farther and farther in, ignoring the surprisingly cold bite of the water; welcoming it, even. His jeans were darkening as the fabric absorbed more and more water, weighing him down a bit, but that was just part of the fun. He spun around and kicked water up everywhere, marveling when the droplets came scattering down all around him. He didn't have any clue what he was actually doing, and he loved that. He was just running around in the lake, in the beach, being as random and free as he could possibly be. It felt so different; it felt so new. But he didn't just want this memory to be his own.

He chased the current, however faint it was, back to the lakeshore where Lotor was waiting for him.

"Daddy! Come on!" He tugged on his arm again, giggling and prompting him just like a little kid; because that's what he was. He was just like a little kid when he was with Lotor. "Come on! Come play with me!"

His tugging was successful, much to his delight, and Lotor relented with a laugh as he followed Lance into the water.

"Isn't it cold?" Lance exclaimed, squealing a bit and pressing close to Lotor as they walked in ankle-deep. He'd dealt with the cold up until now, but he didn't mind using it as an excuse to get closer to Lotor.

"It is pretty cold," Lotor mused, holding Lance by both of his shoulders. "Baby, you're wet, you're getting water on daddy's clothes."

Lance flinched back a bit, hugging himself and looking down at his reflection in the water. "O-oh. I'm sorry, daddy…" He bit his lower lip, wondering if he'd gotten too ahead of himself and if he should be ashamed for bringing Lotor into the water. He was about to suggest they head back to shore when suddenly, a large splash of water crashed against his chest and face, making him jump and leaving him a shrieking, soaking mess. Icy droplets clung to his clothes as he wiped at his face and stared at Lotor in shock, heart picking up pace at the grin he saw on his daddy's face.

It took a second or two for him to recognize what was happening, so Lotor took that time to crouch down and scoop more water into his palms before launching it at him.

Lance screamed in delight and quickly began running around Lotor, kicking up water and just making it splash everywhere without directly attacking him with it. He was just getting himself more wet, but again, he didn't mind.

Lotor chased him farther into the water, and seeing him smile while bombarding Lance with splashes was the cherry on top for him. He kicked his feet up behind himself elegantly as he splashed and ran from Lotor, letting the dancer in him come out as water soaked his clothes and dripped from his hair.

Eventually, Lotor quit splashing at him and just ran straight at him, wrapping his arms around Lance and collapsing both of them into the lake until they were crouching with their arms beneath the knee-deep water.

Lance couldn't contain his laughter, heart thumping loudly in his chest like it was a harp sending melodies of adrenaline and elation throughout his entire body. Every string of his heart was being played, strummed along by Lotor's fingers, which were suddenly caressing Lance's face and smoothing back his wet, brown hair. He held his breath, laughter ceasing all at once as they stared into each other's eyes.

Then, caught up in the moment, or maybe just because he wanted to, Lotor caught his arm around Lance's neck and pulled him in for a kiss; and not just any kiss, either. Their mouths clashed in a spirited display of passion, with both of them constantly moaning and gasping and pulling back for just split seconds before attacking each other's lips again. Lance leaned his chest forward, hands scrabbling to get ahold of Lotor's shoulders until body was rocking against body, sending ripples out through the lake from where they sat in the water, making out.

Water continued dripping down Lance's hair, and his clothes were just getting more soaked by the second, but none of that mattered anymore. All that mattered was Lotor's hands clawing at the back of his scalp, pulling him closer and closer as they mashed their mouths together repeatedly, going in for kiss after kiss. Lance felt like he was on cloud nine, sitting shoulder-deep beneath the water and making out with his daddy, his love...it was making him all light-headed and fluffy inside.

Lance was left panting once they finally disconnected their lips for longer than two seconds, and even though his lungs were screaming for air as though he'd just been drowning, it was definitely worth it to kiss Lotor like that. His eyes fluttered open and stared straight into Lotor's eyes, and the both of them sat in the suddenly-slightly-warmer water for a minute longer, looking at each other.

Lotor's thumb stroked Lance's cheek as they gazed into each other's eyes intently, adoringly, and he was sure he would absolutely treasure this memory for as long as he lived.

"...come on, baby." Lotor was the first one to stand, of course, and he helped Lance wobble up after him before leading him back to the shore.

Lance was a little disappointed that their playtime in the lake was already ending, but it had been amazing while it lasted, so he couldn't whine much. His spirits quickly rekindled upon realizing that they weren't quite done making memories at the beach, though, and he bounced a bit as Lotor sat in the sand and gestured for Lance to come to him.

He immediately dropped down and scooted in between Lotor's legs, only satisfied once his back was snug against his wet stomach. He looked back up at Lotor with a delighted smile, heart skipping and toes tapping against the sand repeatedly when Lotor returned the look.

"Come here, sweetie." He wrapped an arm around Lance while his other hand pulled his phone out from his pocket, quickly drying it off with whatever part of his shirt was most dry before holding it out in front of them. "Waterproof technology is pretty useful when you have a bunny who likes to play." He pressed his nose to the top of Lance's head, eliciting playful giggles from Lance.

"Alright sweetie, give me that big smile of yours, come on." He held the phone out so they could take pictures together, and Lance immediately snuggled closer to Lotor, curling up a bit before smiling and winking and throwing in peace signs, whatever he could to spruce up the pictures and make them into cuter, goofier, and fonder memories. They even took several pictures of them kissing before Lotor decided they had enough, and he gave his phone to Lance so he could look through each picture, squealing and pointing out every little thing he loved to Lotor.

When they were done and Lotor put his phone away, they just sat and stared out upon the skyline. Lance kept trying to cuddle closer for warmth, wet clothes sticking to him and making him a little cold, but overall it just felt nice to be sitting on the beach like they were. It was early May, after all, so the temperature wasn't freezing by any means.

He sighed and rested his head back against Lotor's shoulder, letting his eyes fall shut. He didn't even care about the sand all over his butt; he just wanted to relax here with Lotor.

The beach was suddenly a very warm, relaxing, and fun memory to look back upon.

"...I love you." Lance declared, turning to bury his face into Lotor's neck, and Lotor brought his hand up to stroke his cheek, tilting his head to the side to offer Lance more room to fit his face against his neck.

"I love you, too, baby."

Lance immediately beamed at that, happiness striking him like lightning conducting against water every time he heard Lotor say those words, especially during times like this, when they were just enjoying their time together.

He was so busy swooning that he barely noticed Lotor unraveling their bodies until he was already standing and helping Lance up.

"Come on, sweetie. I know this beach looks pretty empty, but there's a rest area just a little ways away, past that hill." He nodded in the direction he was talking about as Lance took his hand and stood, curious. "We can go there and have a tropical drink, yeah? Come on, sweetie."

Lance's face lit up all over again at that as he quickly attached himself to Lotor's arm, rubbing his face against him as they started in the direction of the rest area.

"Okay, daddy!" He exclaimed, humming to himself with an everlasting smile on his face. Lotor made him excited. Lotor made him happy. Lotor knew how messed up he was, yet he still took the time to take Lance places to make sure he was happy, and he even wanted to help Lance stop viewing beaches as a bad memory. And now, he was bringing Lance to a rest stop with drinks, to wrap up an already incredible evening. Lotor was always doing what was best for Lance.

He could remember it clearly now. This was why Lance loved Lotor with all his heart. Lotor was the only one for Lance.

***

He clung to Lotor's arm the entire walk up the hill, looking up at him from time to time to catch his attention. Each time Lotor returned his smile, Lance could feel his heart skip a beat. Just knowing Lotor was happy to have him here was all he needed.

As they approached the rest stop building, Lance loosened his grip on Lotor to run ahead and pull him along...until he saw who was standing off to the side of the front door.

Lance's knees gave out beneath him, and the only reason he managed to catch himself was because he was still holding onto Lotor, but that didn't get rid of the feeling of waves sweeping him off his feet, like his entire world was crashing down upon him. He didn't even get many shivers when he was at the beach despite the cold water, but now, goosebumps were quickly beginning to dot his arms and legs, and his vision grew blurry with tears as he immediately hid behind Lotor, who had stopped walking.

Soft whimpers escaped him as he clung to Lotor's back, only keeping his eyes barely open so he could watch as that man who had the title of his father slowly made his way over to them. He tried looking up at Lotor's face, but he couldn't read him. All he knew was that Lotor looked completely calm and prepared for this scenario, and the thought that Lotor planned this made Lance want to recoil in repulsion. It made no sense...Lotor knew about Lance's family...he knew how sensitive of a topic this was for him…

Why was his father here?

Lance's nausea was getting worse with each step his father took, and he wanted nothing more than to run away, to get as far away as possible from this man, but he couldn't. He knew he couldn't. If he even tried to run away, his legs would probably fail him because he felt so weak, so helpless, and so he could only cling to the back of Lotor's shirt desperately as his father stopped in front of them.

He waited for his father to berate him, to express his disgust, to cast him in that hateful glare of antipathy. He waited to be crushed even further by the weight of his hatred, clenching his jaw and shivering against Lotor, praying that he would protect him...but it never came.

Instead of maliciously lashing out, Lance's father simply reached into a bag from over his shoulder, pulling out several sheets of paper and holding them out for Lotor to inspect. Those scornful eyes never traveled to Lance even once; they just stayed fixated on Lotor and watched him as he observed the papers being presented to him.

Lance kept waiting, kept expecting things to be turned on him, expecting the world to bury him further into himself like always; but nothing happened.

Lotor accepted the papers from his father with a smile, looking over them once more before they made eye contact. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. McClain."

His father dipped his head down slightly in a nod of acknowledgement before turning away, not saying a word, not casting any side-glares and not making a single comment on how much of a disappointment Lance was.

And then, he began to walk away, leaving behind his suffocating atmosphere of desolation and rejection. Lance could feel it hanging in the air, sinking into his lungs and cutting off his airflow until his head was light and dizzy. It was like he didn't even exist; like his father couldn't even see him or hadn't even noticed him. And then, there was Lotor…

As soon as his father was far enough away to be out of earshot, Lance pushed off of Lotor's back and stumbled away. Unsurprisingly, his legs collapsed beneath him the moment he was on his own, and he knew he couldn't stand or do anything on his own, but he just couldn't be with Lotor right now as he hugged himself and let his head hang low, tears staining the ground beneath him.

"Why…" He whispered, voice as cracked as his shattered heart. He rocked himself back and forth on the floor, squeezing his eyes shut and refusing to look up even when he felt Lotor's eyes on him. "Why...why daddy...why did you bring me here…"

"Shhh…" Lotor crouched down to embrace him, but Lance flinched back, whimpering and trying to push against the ground to back away. He was in full panic mode already, and it was only spiralling even further out of control with Lotor's attempts to touch him.

"No...I can't…! Why…!" He flailed his arms a bit as Lotor got closer, ignoring his struggling and forcing his arms around him. Lance wasn't nearly strong enough to push Lotor away again, so his arms died at his side as he wept uselessly.

"Shhh...baby, I did this for you, just like I always do. It's always for you. Baby, listen to me," Lotor grabbed Lance's chin forcefully, turning him until he was looking him in the eye. "Baby, listen. Listen. That's the last time you'll ever have to see that man again. The last time. I thought you might want to just see him one last time, while you still have the chance. You won't be seeing him anymore. You won't be having to worry about him anymore. That man isn't your dad anymore."

Lance sniffled loudly, resting his chin in Lotor's hand in confusion. Even if his struggling stopped, though, his tears continued to fall down his cheek. "Wh-what do you mean…?" He stuttered, barely able to recognize his own voice.

Lotor's arm snaked around his back more, pulling him closer. "You see these papers I got from that man? Your family has officially handed custody over your well being over to me."

Lance's eyes shot wide open, and his blood froze over with shock. He couldn't even feel himself in Lotor's arms anymore from how cold he'd suddenly gone. They handed him over...they officially disowned him…

...why was he even surprised…?

"Isn't this great, baby?" Lotor exclaimed, moving his hand up from his chin to stroke his tear-stained cheek. "You're mine now, baby. I'm your official caretaker, the only person you have. Everything in your life can be taken care of by me now." He kissed Lance's forehead, and even though Lance could barely feel any of it through his numbness, the loving gesture along with Lotor's final words broke through to him a little bit. "It's just you and me now, baby. You and me together."

The image of his father casually standing right before him, staring anywhere but at him and refusing to acknowledge his existence flashed before his eyes again and again, replaying like a broken video player.

_He really doesn't care…_

Lance was trembling harder and harder by the second.

_None of them care…_

He swore he was about to chew all the way through his lower lip at this point as he bit down hard, letting the hurt and betrayal fume through him.

_Why am I surprised…_

That question again. Right. It was Lance's fault. It was his fault for being so stupid, for having never seen this coming even though it made complete sense for his family to take him off their hands officially.

_Why do I care?_

He shouldn't care. He shouldn't give a damn about what his family thought of him anymore, not after everything that had happened. They had already practically disowned him years ago; it was just official now.

They'd already hurt him enough; a little more should be nothing. But for some reason, it was everything. He genuinely felt like his heart had physically shattered, and he could barely feel his own body, could barely make sense of what reality was anymore. There was only one thing in this moment keeping him grounded; Lotor.

"Daddy…" The tears were hot against his cheek as he let Lotor's arms come around him, and he sunk into the other's body, desperate for comfort. It was so much. It was a thousand knives in his chest, a million shards in his heart, and he just desperately needed soothing. So, he clung to Lotor, snuggled himself into his chest, and cried.

"You and me...that makes me happy, daddy…" He spoke through sobs as Lotor pet the back of his head, hugging him tighter and tighter. "Take care of me, daddy...please…"

"Shhh...shhh...quiet baby...quiet, it's okay...I will, baby, I'll take care of you." Lotor bent his head down to plant kisses all over the top of Lance's head, chorusing his soft shushing noises in time with the strokes of his hand in Lance's hair. "I'll take care of you, baby. I promise."

Lance squeezed the tears from his eyes as he rested in Lotor's chest, feeling the emotion drain out of him along with his strength. He was done. He accepted defeat from the world, if he hadn't already before. All he could do was cry with each of Lotor's shushes, listening and taking in each word he said.

"I promise, baby. I'll take care of you. It'll be just you and me…"

Lance gave one last, violent quiver before, like a fly in a web, he became motionless in Lotor's arms, resigned to his fate, letting his future turn into one shaped by Lotor.

"...forever."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! There it is! Something I really wanted out of this chapter was for it to make sense as to why Lance could be in love with Lotor. Obviously we see some pretty fucked up stuff going on...but there is also a lot of sweet talk from Lotor, and he does do some cute things like their lake scene, and when put in context with them having some sort of history, I hope it doesn't seem unrealistic that Lance is so taken by him despite us being able to see that this is some unhealthy shit. It's not the same when you're in Lance's shoes. You can't always see that when you're the one in the relationship, because it's easier to see when you're looking in from the outside. That's the idea here, anyways.


	9. Daddy Knows Best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yeah, I know, this one took **3 weeks** to get out, I'm sorryyyyyy! There was stuff going on, and stuff I had to take care of, so yeah. If you'd like to be in on all that stuff though so you know when I'm not gonna be able to release a chapter, you should follow me on Tumblr (yes I am using my extended absence as a self plug in)! Link is below, heh...
> 
> <https://charlottexoyates.tumblr.com/>
> 
> Anyways, I really am sorry if you've just been waiting with no update *orz*

Lance clung to Lotor like a magnet to iron the entire car ride back to the estate, refusing to detach his head from his chest for even a second. In all honesty, a part of him had never expected to see his biological father again, ever. He'd done his best to just never think about that man or about any of the other people in his family, so seeing him without any sort of preparation had Lance completely shaken, his mind and body overrun by a thousand stray emotions. Amongst all the turmoil, there was only one thing he could truly fall back to; his need for Lotor.

Even as they left the limo, he continued clinging to Lotor even more than he had the entire day out, practically stepping on him while squeezing his arm. Lotor didn't push him away or give any indication that he minded, of course, because Lance knew his daddy loved him and wanted him to feel safe.

Several of Lotor's maids greeted them as they came in through the front, but Lance paid them no mind. He had no intention of paying attention to anyone or anything other than Lotor, because he didn't need to. Lotor would take care of all of that for him. He didn't need to focus on anything outside of their little world.

As they approached the stairs leading up to the second floor, however, Lance couldn't help but catch sight of the cellar door in his peripheral vision, and suddenly, that was completely in his focus.

He could feel his heartbeat picking up pace as the world closed in from all around him, screams resonating through his aching head. Shackles that he hadn't felt in a very long time were holding him down again, and as emotionally draining as the day had been, he felt like he could break down all over again as his knees trembled, threatening to let him fall.

"Hey." Lotor cupped his cheek and kissed the root of his nose with prolonged intensity, sending waves of warmth through his nervous system. "It's okay, baby. Daddy's here. Let's go back to the room and we can make sure you feel better. Come on."

Lance gulped, somehow managing to tear his eyes away from the door, and squished his body up against Lotor's even more. He couldn't speak, and he couldn't think of anything to say in that moment anyways, so he just nodded and let Lotor lead him up the stairs, blinking away the sting of tears and leaving the cellar door behind...although, he could never truly leave it behind...

Lotor lead him back to their room, where Lance immediately spotted several familiar bags leaning against their bed, each one bearing the logo of Balmera.

His eyes lit up, and he pulled on Lotor's arm excitedly, gladly accepting the chance to be happy about something. "Daddy, daddy! You got them for me?"

He was met with a snicker as Lotor patted his head and took them over to the bags so Lance could peer into them. "Yep. I made sure my servants bought everything you tried on before we left. Go on, take a look. Tell me if I missed anything."

Lance didn't need to be told twice. He bent down and began sorting through all the clothes, smile rising by the second. Of course Lotor would go and surprise him with something like this; Lotor loved him, after all. He knew seeing his father would upset him, so he prepared accordingly to make it up to Lance.

He immediately rushed back to Lotor, throwing his arms around him with a jump. "Thank you, daddy!"

Lotor stroked his hands through his hair, accepting the hug and letting Lance nuzzle his face into him. "Of course, baby. Daddy loves you. Now, why don't you dress up a little for me and we can see how it all _really_ looks on you? That'll cheer you up, won't it?"

Lance's perked up at that, and he pulled back so he could look Lotor in the face with shining eyes. Lotor always knew how to treat him. "Yes, that sounds fun, daddy! I'll do it right now!"

He rushed back to his bags of clothes and began picking things out to show off first. Getting himself all prettied up for Lotor's enjoyment was one of his favorite things to do, because it meant pleasing Lotor, and that was all he wanted to do.

Wasting no time, he slipped his clothes off and began putting on different sets of revealing lingerie, smiling at Lotor confidently. His body was one of the few things he was proud of, after all.

Lotor had already told him at the mall that he thought Lance looked good in everything, so it came as no surprise when he approved of his look no matter what he put on. Because of this, he went through his stash of new clothes relatively quickly, taking moments to fawn over his favorites before ending with his newest pink ones.

"Do I look okay, daddy?" He asked, even though he'd asked this exact question at the mall already.

Lotor's grin slipped away into a straight face, and he beckoned for Lance to come to him, patting his lap.

Lance eagerly rushed over and mounted Lotor, throwing his legs over each side of him until he was straddling his lap and looking down at him. It didn't take long for them both to initiate a passionate kiss, tongues sliding together with joyful content. Lance always melted at every kiss with Lotor, but this one especially felt nice after having to go through that entire experience at the beach with his father. He desperately needed something like this.

They made out for a good minute, with Lance grinding his hips down onto Lotor's lap for added passion and friction, before finally separating, staring at each other and taking several moments to catch their breaths.

"...you look very pretty," Lotor stated, basically just repeating what he'd already conveyed through the kiss. Still, hearing it from his mouth made Lance keen in delight, and he hugged himself closer as they pressed their foreheads together.

"I'll make sure to wear it tonight!" He exclaimed with a giggle. "...or are we not performing tonight?"

He hadn't considered that he might not be allowed to perform anymore due to how poorly his performances had been without Lotor there to keep him in line. It was a scary thought; he couldn't even imagine what it was like to not perform. Lotor quickly put that notion to rest, though.

"Of course you'll perform, baby, and I think the men will like that color on you." He stroked the back of Lance's head repeatedly, speaking in a hushed, reassuring voice. "...however, we're going to be changing your stage name."

Lance's eyes widened at that, and he leaned back a bit to look Lotor straight in the eyes, panic flaring up in his stomach. "But...isn't that bad, daddy? What if not as many customers recognize my name when it's announced? What if they don't like it? What if I'm-"

"Shhh. Sweetie, don't worry." Lotor shushed him, grabbing his chin and successfully quieting him. His thumb traced its way over Lance's bottom lip in an erotically soothing manner. "It'll be okay. People will adapt to it soon enough. We're getting rid of BabyBlue to show that that version of you is gone. People have come to associate that name with you when I wasn't there...and that's no good. We need to show the world that the 'old you' is back. The 'better you' is back."

Lance let Lotor's words sink in, and the more he explained his reasoning, the more sense it made. It was true that a new stage name would represent a new stage for him, or rather, returning to an old one. Like Lotor said, going back to a time when he was 'better'.

"...okay," he muttered slowly, relaxing himself into Lotor's arms and letting his panic ease up. "What's my name going to be?"

"The only other name it could be, of course. 'Daddy's Boy'." His fingers graced over Lance's cheek, stroking with the lightness of phantom hands. "You remember that name, sweetie? From long ago?"

Lance squeezed his eyes shut, because he did indeed remember that name from a long time ago. From when things were much different. Just hearing it brought back images of an empty room and a single cam recorder, light flashing red as it took in every second of him exposing his body to the world for the first time.

He gulped and leaned his face into Lotor's hands, tilting his chin down in a small nod. It was fitting that he go back to that name, and it wasn't like he would ever argue with one of Lotor's decisions, anyways.

"Okay, daddy."

Lotor made a satisfied humming sound. "That's a good boy; that's the boy I'm proud of. Perfect little daddy's boy, that's what you are." He planted kisses against Lance's face, eliciting small giggles from him. He was okay with this. If it made Lotor happy, then he was okay. Lotor always knew best, anyways. If he thought this was for the better, then it was.

"Oh. I need you to do one last thing for me, baby." Lotor pulled back from the kissing and gently set Lance aside on the bed as he tilted his head curiously.

"Anything, daddy!"

Lotor clapped his cheek lightly before getting up and walking to a drawer, with Lance's eyes following him all the way. Somehow, he could feel the atmosphere in the room had just changed. Unlike with the renaming, Lotor wasn't giving him much details as he walked a paper and pen back over to Lance. Something about this was sending warning signs through Lance, but...no, he had to trust Lotor. Lotor knew what was best.

He accepted the paper and pen upon Lotor offering them to him, gulping and looking it over with apprehension. "Um…"

"Sign it." Lotor leaned down, pointing to a blank line at the bottom of the page. "Go on. Sign your name there."

Lance's eyes traveled down to the blank spot where his name was apparently supposed to go, stomach tightening into a knot of uneasiness. He thought Lotor was supposed to take care of these things for him?

"...what is it?"

"You don't have to worry about that." Lotor stroked his hand through Lance's hair and down the side of his face. "All you have to do is do as I say and sign it. All you have to do is trust me. Daddy knows best, baby."

Sweat began accumulating in Lance's palms, and he gulped in indecisiveness, eyes briefly scanning through the top of the paper. It was some sort of contract…

Lotor growled, tightening his grip on Lance's face, and the mere promise of a threat instantly brought images of the cellar to mind.

"You're taking too long," he snarled. "Don't you trust me? Don't you _love_ me? Or...do you not anymore?"

Panic flashed through Lance like a strike of lightning, and he immediately reached up to hold Lotor's wrist. "N-no! I-I do! I do love you, I promise, I swear! Here!" He quickly scribbled his name on the line Lotor had indicated, immediately looking up at Lotor, desperate to prove himself; desperate to make sure Lotor didn't think he didn't love him for even a second.

"That's perfect." Lotor wasted no time in grabbing the paper from Lance before he could direct his attention towards it again, ignoring the pen and kissing Lance's forehead in approval. "I knew you wouldn't let me down. You're such a good boy. You make daddy so happy."

He pulled Lance into an embrace, and even though his arms were warm and his praise made Lance's panicking brain settle down in relief, he couldn't seem to control his heart as it drummed against his chest in warning, as if he'd just made a huge mistake.

_No. Stop. It's Lotor_ , he scolded himself, squeezing his eyes shut and leaning into the embrace. _No matter what, I can trust Lotor. Lotor will take care of me_.

He took a deep sigh to calm himself down, and although it didn't fully work, he pretended it did, to get rid of that nagging voice in his head. He didn't dare doubt Lotor.

Lotor knew best.

***

As soon as night descended, Lotor and Lance made their way back to the Web of Sins, the familiar atmosphere serving as a huge comfort to Lance. Dancing and showing off at the club had always been his main escape from the troubles of his mind, and right now, he needed that escape more than anything.

He expected to see the same velvety decoration that usually lined the inside of the club, so when he saw symbols that resembled that of the Galra business, his skin began to crawl, and he had to huddle closer to Lotor's arm as they walked in. The atmosphere may have been the same, but the look was definitely not the look of the club he remembered.

"Daddy…" He murmured, gulping as he turned his head in every direction to take in the new look.

Lotor shushed him, linking their arms tighter as they disappeared into the backstage room. "Don't worry, sweetie. I know everything's changing, but it's for the better. You see, I went into a deal with the manager, and as it turns out, I run the club now."

Lance released an inaudible gasp, eyes increasing in size. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about that. Happy? Impressed?

Lotor ran the back of his fingers down Lance's cheek, as if smoothing his skin out. "Since it's my place now, I had my men do a bit of redecorating, so everyone will know who the club belongs to now. And of course, since I own the Web, all the bouncers are also my men." He leaned forward, whispering into Lance's ear breathily enough to tickle him. "That means I've got my men all around the club. I've got eyes on you at all times. I won't be with you all night, but I'll know if you behave like a naughty boy. I'll know if you don't do your job good enough. I'll know if you deserve punishment."

Having Lotor's breath on him was chilling enough in this scenario, but hearing his words froze Lance even more. Goosebumps that had been steadily rising suddenly sprouted across his skin, and his breath caught in his throat, basically leaving him a lifeless scarecrow. Of course he wanted to be a good boy at all times for Lotor anyways, but now, there really was no room for a slip up of any sort. And with all the changes to his stage name and the look of the club, Lance was already feeling the pressure and stress...and it all just made his knees tremble, because he didn't want any more stress, he just wanted to escape his troubles...but being good always came first—especially when he'd been so bad lately without Lotor.

His silence was taken as understanding, and Lotor patted his cheek a few times before pulling back with a grin. "There's a good boy. Now, I have a few check ups to do with the place, so while that's going on, you're going to do a few rounds around the club taking lap dance requests, like usual. We'll have our performance together on stage just like last time in a bit. Be a good boy, and make me lots of money."

He kissed Lance's forehead, holding his lips to his skin for an extended period of time to emphasize the temporary separation.

Admittedly, Lance didn't know how comfortable he felt right now without Lotor next to him, but he wasn't about to argue. Lotor had already made the threat of knowing when he deserved punishment once tonight, he wasn't going to tread that line. Instead, he just nodded and sunk into Lotor's body when he hugged him.

"Okay. I can do that for you, daddy. I'll make you lots of money!" He put on his best smile for his daddy to send him off with positivity, and it worked, because Lotor smiled back at him.

"Until our performance, then, sweetie." There was one last forehead kiss before Lotor disappeared deeper into the club, leaving Lance by himself for the first time in what seemed like forever. He'd already forgotten what it was like to not have Lotor with him, and he didn't like the feeling. He needed Lotor...but right now, he just needed to focus on his job.

Lance quickly slipped his clothes off until he was only in his pink lingerie before heading out into the main club floor, scanning the area to see if he should find a customer by the bar counter or if he should catch a customer who had just arrived. In his observation, though, he couldn't help but linger at the sight of the multiple uniformed men around the room, standing cross-armed with all eyes on him. It was just as Lotor said—he was being watched at all times.

He took a few deep breaths, letting the uncomfortableness leak from his body and replacing it with determination. He would prove to Lotor that he could be good for him even when he wasn't personally there to moderate Lance's behavior. He would prove that he could make his daddy lots of money.

He would do anything for the man who would be there for him for the rest of his life.

***~Keith~***

Keith wasn't sure whether Lance would be performing at his usual times or if he would even be at the Web to begin with, but he arrived relatively early just in case. Ideally, he wanted to catch Lance before his big performance with Lotor, since they apparently always had sex on stage, and Lance probably wouldn't be out and about after that.

The mere thought of having to watch Lance have sex with another man again was like bullet wounds to the chest, but that only served to further Keith's desperation.

He sat at the bar counter with one leg propped on his knee, refusing any drink offers. He wasn't here to get drunk, nor was he here to forget his problems; he was here to sort things out and to hopefully protect Lance.

Keith didn't actually know much about Lotor, but after asking Coran about it some more, combined with the information Matt had given him, the performance last night between Lance and Lotor seemed to be pretty standard for them. Just remembering the spanking and the way Lotor dragged Lance by his hair made Keith's blood boil, but knowing that that was 'standard' for their relationship multiplied his disgust tenfold.

He'd literally been on the edge of his seat for the last hour, scanning the club for any sign of Lance, ears perked in search of that familiar bubbly giggle. And, of course, he had his eyes peeled for the unsightly ghostly white of that demon's hair. Besides the occasional boisterous ruffian, however, the only thing that caught Keith's eye was the seemingly increased presence of the bouncers standing stationary around the room, and while he was somewhat impressed with himself for being able to tell when something seemed different about the Web, none of this was what he was looking for.

"...I'll be back later, Coran." Keith waved with the back of his hand as he left to wander the club.

Despite his strong distaste for strip clubs, Keith had always found the general atmosphere of the Web enjoyable thanks to its tidiness and style; excluding the spider webbed entrance sign, of course. Tonight, however, the flashing red lights above him were nothing more than a headache—and red was usually his color, too. He could only hear sirens blaring in his head as he shouldered past groups of people, eyes always hunting for a glimpse of Lance's ocean-blue eyes.

He must've been exerting an aura of hostility, because even when he stopped moving to just look around the room, not a single stripper even tried approaching him. He wasn't complaining, of course—if anyone tried talking nonsense to him right now, he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep himself from getting cross with them.

There was so much movement going on in the club around him that he was constantly afraid he may have just missed Lance. He kept twisting his head, looking each person over at least twice to make sure they weren't Lance. Due to this, his eyes quickly began to feel like raw olives by the time he figured Lance just wasn't here tonight.

His heart sank into his chest, and he let his shoulders slump forward, frantically trying to work out what his next plan of action would be. Naturally, that was when he saw him.

He almost couldn't blame himself for not recognizing Lance; the pink lingerie adorning his body was unlike anything Keith had seen him wear before. Also, for all he knew, Lance could've just arrived or something, but that wasn't important. The only thing that mattered was that Lance was right there with no Lotor in sight; the scenario couldn't have been better.

Keith strode up to him from behind, grabbing Lance's wrist and leaning in close when the unsuspecting boy whipped around to face him.

The fire that burned in his blue eyes didn't even last for a second as his face dropped in shock upon coming nose to nose with Keith. Both of his eyebrows were rising to create an expression Keith had never seen on Lance's face before, and he felt his heart ache at the feeling of Lance trying to pull his wrist out of his grip.

"Lance! It's okay, it's just me, I'm not some creepy old dude!" Keith assured, pulling his face back a bit so Lance could get a better view of his face. That didn't help at all, unfortunately, as Lance just tugged harder against Keith's hold, avoiding eye contact at all costs. Suddenly, Keith felt bad, like he was some aggressor holding Lance against his will.

"Lance…? Can we talk?" His voice quivered just slightly, fingers loosening around Lance's wrist the more Lance struggled. He seemed to be panicking, letting out small whimpers as he wriggled his arm against Keith's to try and free himself.

Keith's chest caved in on itself as he let go of Lance, hating the feeling of controlling his movement. He quickly ran to catch up with him so they were side by side, though.

"Hey, what's wrong? Come on...you gotta talk to me, Lance!" He urged, voice tipping near the point of cracking. He hadn't gotten very much sleep between the time when Lance and Lotor first performed on stage to now, but even so, he was feeling more awake than ever. Adrenaline was pumping hot air through his muscles like a hydraulic press, and while Lance had been the one frantically struggling against him earlier, Keith was the one who felt like he could have a heart attack at any moment.

"Lance...please?" He tried reaching out again, words getting caught in his throat, but before he could touch his shoulder, Lance recoiled and turned on Keith once more, eyes wide and lined with distress.

"Keith…" He murmured, voice so soft he might as well have been whimpering with each word. "Keith, I...I can't. I can't talk to you anymore, Keith. Please...go away."

He tried hurrying away again, but between the ache in Keith's heart and the shock crackling through his veins, he wasn't exactly capable of thinking before acting, and his hand reflexively shot forward to grab Lance's wrist one more time.

Keith had no clue what he was doing or what he even should be doing. He knew holding Lance against his will was wrong, he didn't want to be like Lotor, but there was clearly something wrong here...Lance wasn't snubbing him, he was nervous; scared, even. That much was evident by the pleading glint in his eye as he looked up at Keith, still trying to pull his wrist away.

He just needed Lance to talk to him; he just needed the chance to have time with Lance. So, he let go of Lance's wrist, speaking quickly as Lance turned to run away again.

"Dance for me." He didn't like sounding commanding, but he was desperate, and his approach seemed to work as Lance froze.

Keith gulped. "I'm a customer, and you work here...right? I wish to buy a lap dance from you." He never thought he would say these words while sober for as long as he lived, and for good reason. It felt so wrong to him, offering money in exchange for sexual stimulation...but he didn't have any other plan right now.

Lance hesitated for at least two verses of a pop song before slowly turning back to Keith, shoulders stiff and head hanging slightly. "...I'm at your service."

Keith was both relieved and disgusted by that answer. On the one hand, it meant he would get to talk to Lance, but on the other hand, he couldn't help but get the implication that Lance just wasn't capable of turning him down, not because he was Keith, but because he was a customer.

"Come." He gently grabbed Lance's hand, frowning and leading him towards the back of the room. There were several sets of couches for customers to sit on while receiving lap dances, and while he was mildly disturbed at his own knowledge of where to go for a comfortable dance, that was the least of his worries right now as he let himself sink down. Naturally, the Web had furniture that was way too good for such an immoral place.

Now that they were supposedly doing business, Lance didn't hesitate to approach, turning around to give Keith the perfect view of his ass and backing it up to press against his chest, and yes, it was hot enough to give Keith a nosebleed, but it was also pretty hard to focus on sex appeal when his chest was still on the verge of splitting open.

"Lance...talk to me. Tell me what's going on," he pleaded, wanting nothing more than to lift Lance off of his lap to squeeze him in a hug.

He wasn't focusing on the dance at all, but even still, he could tell Lance wasn't putting his heart into it one bit as he pressed his ass to Keith's crotch and swayed his hips despite his trembling.

"Lance!" Keith exclaimed, brows furrowed worriedly. He could just feel Lance's nervousness coming off him in waves, and the dancer even ended up hugging himself while bucking his hips against Keith.

"...I'm sorry…" Lance's voice was barely a whisper, speaking as weakly as he was dancing. "I'm sorry, but we can't be around each other anymore Keith…"

Panic was quickly settling back into Keith as the worst case scenario began to develop right before his eyes.

"Why? Why can't we be around each other anymore?"

Lance was silent.

"Lance, why?! Tell me why!"

"I'm sorry!" Lance cried more than shouted. "I just...please. Please don't talk to me anymore...I can't-"

"Is it Lotor?" Keith blurted out, already knowing the answer. Lance had paused and wasn't answering him, but Keith already knew he was right. "I know about Lotor, Lance. I was there last night, and I heard all about him from Matt Holt." His eyes fell to the ground as Lance's dancing stopped completely. "...are you going back to Lotor? Are...are you breaking up with me, Lance?"

The words alone felt like saws against his heartstrings, and Lance's silent contemplation just made Keith's chest that much heavier. When he finally did turn to show Keith his face, his lips were pressed tightly together, as though trying to stop him from speaking. He spoke anyways.

"Yes."

Keith's surroundings shattered and crashed in on him from every side, and he went limp beneath Lance, who continued as though he hadn't hurt Keith enough yet.

"I...I can't be with you, Keith. Lotor is the only one for me...I'm so sorry…"

"Why?" Keith's voice broke a little, but he didn't care. He'd seen the way Lotor dragged Lance by the hair and he'd heard Matt's opinions on the guy, so while he was hurt, he was also incredibly confused.

Lance was refusing to make eye contact, but kept his face turned so Keith could see his expression of finality. "You don't...I...Lotor, he understands me, and he loves me for me…" His hips started up again to resume dancing, but Keith immediately grabbed a hold of Lance's arm, turning his body towards him.

"Lance, please, you have to tell me if Lotor is hurting you," he pleaded.

Shock visibly turned to disbelief on Lance's face as he recoiled away from Keith, turning around fully and leaving his lap empty.

"What?! What would make you think that?" He exclaimed, still hugging himself.

Keith gulped. There was no going back now; he had to play this card and lay it all out on the table.

"Matt said he once saw Lotor hit you, and I saw the way he treated you on stage...please Lance!" He stood from the couch. "Please, tell me if he's hurting you. I'm worried-"

"No!" Lance protested, backing up whenever Keith stepped towards him. "You...that's not…! Lotor would never hurt me! He only hits me when I deserve it—he does it to teach me better, because he knows I'm capable of better, because he believes in me, because he _loves_ me!"

Keith didn't know whether he wanted to rampage or sob upon hearing Lance's disgusting claims, but it was probably somewhere in between.

"Lance, people don't _hit_ the ones they love, no matter what the reason-"

"Lotor is the only one that loves me!" Lance argued, interrupting Keith once more. His voice wasn't loud enough to draw attention to them over the music, but it was enough to cut through Keith's body; particularly his chest.

"Lotor is the only one that loves me...he's the only one who knows everything about me, and somehow still loves me anyways. Everyone would hate me if they knew how hopeless I am…" Lance rubbed his arms up and down his own sides, stumbling back more. "Only Lotor could ever love me despite everything…"

He fell silent, and Keith fell silent with him. He didn't completely understand what Lance was talking about, but he knew that Lance had confirmed that Lotor hit him, and that was disgusting and wrong no matter what the explanation was. He didn't fully comprehend why Lance claimed nobody else could love him, but he did know one thing…

"I want to."

Lance looked up in shock, meeting Keith's eyes for the first time and letting him see those blue eyes in all their glory, only the color seemed slightly faded. The _life_ seemed faded.

"I want to love you," Keith continued, taking a bold step forward. Lance didn't step away. "Will you let me try, Lance? I...I don't know what you meant, but, let me try loving you. Let me try understanding you, and I promise, I'll never hit you, I'll never lay a hand to you, and I'll never use your body for myself in front of a huge crowd of men. You said you preferred what happened between us in my car more than the public stuff, remember?"

He slowly outstretched a hand towards Lance's wrist, but Lance flinched back, eyes shaking along with his entire body. He looked like he could collapse at any given moment, which only made Keith want to hold him and help him stand that much more.

"Stop!" Lance shrieked, taking a step back. "It's pointless. You'll hate me, Lotor said so. Lotor said nobody loves me but him."

Fire went off in Keith's veins, eyes flickering dangerously as the imaginary target on Lotor's face grew bigger and bigger. There were more pressing matters than his anger right now, though, so he somehow stuffed his rage into the pits of his core while extending his hand further.

Lance almost looked like a tortured animal, cowering in the corner, and it shot needles through Keith's heart to know that he was the one Lance was cowering from...although in a way, it was really Lotor who created this image of Lance.

"Lance, that isn't true, that's only what Lotor says. He's just trying to manipulate you."

"Stop it!" Lance barked, face paling until it was the most colorless Keith had ever seen it. "That isn't true, Lotor knows best. Daddy knows best, only Lotor understands…I…!" He wasn't able to finish his sentence as he turned tail and fled.

"Lance!" Keith rushed forward, but he couldn't bring himself to force Lance to stay by the wrist again, and so, he ended up watching Lance disappear into the crowd, heart sinking past the floor to the pits of hell.

He was a huge clusterfuck of fluctuating emotions, each one so volatile they threatened to take over him. His eyes never left the opening where Lance had disappeared into the crowd, as if still following him in a wishful attempt to bring him back. He wanted to slump to the floor and roar in frustration, but he also wanted to find Lotor and to beat him against the wall.

The fact that someone would tell another person that they couldn't be loved was disgusting, and it was even worse when the person on the receiving end of that manipulation was Lance. Keith wasn't going to stand for it. Lance's words had cut straight through him and shattered him...but at the end of the day, he knew it wasn't Lance's fault. There were still some things Keith didn't know, but what he did know was that what Lotor was doing was emotional abuse. He was using Lance, toying with his beliefs and degrading him…

Keith felt like an empty corpse that had bled out, but Lance must've felt even worse. That was why Keith was going to save Lance from Lotor, no matter the cost.

***~Lance~***

In all his years as a stripper, Lance had never before walked out on a customer. He'd always been the most diligent worker, making sure no man walked away from him without being properly satisfied—but he'd broken that now.

He wasn't sure what was causing his heart to pound harder, the fact that he'd just ran away from a customer, or the fact that that customer had been Keith. Whatever the case, he was having a hard time breathing as he stumbled towards the staff bathroom, knees shakily and barely supporting him.

His reflection in the mirror looked like a ghostly outer shell of the him he was used to seeing. Red was beginning to pop out in his eyes from all the crying he'd been doing lately, and his skin was unhealthily pale—no doubt a reaction to his nervous breakdown.

Obviously he never wanted to be someone who would walk out on a customer, but he just couldn't stay there with Keith for even a second longer…

The more he thought about it, the more strangled his breathing became, and he was fully convinced he would collapse at any second. Cold water was immediately being splashed up on his face as he slumped his body forward against the sink, burying his face in his wet palms so he could let out a collection of anguished sobs.

His mind was spinning like a broken record, assuring him over and over again, _Keith is wrong. Keith is wrong. Lotor knows best. Lotor knows best. Lotor_ loves _me_.

He knew what was right for him; he had to. He didn't think Keith was a liar, not when it came to caring about him, anyways. He'd experienced being with Keith first hand...and he couldn't just forget all that. But Lotor reminded him that only he really knew Lance...if Keith got to know Lance more, he would eventually become disgusted with him, just like everyone else. Only Lotor could deal with him. Only Lotor could love him. Only Lotor could see him for who he was and still somehow want him.

As he splashed more cold water onto his face, he could just imagine the feeling of the water from when he and Lotor were running around at the beach, laughing and dancing with each other. Lotor loved him. Lotor loved him. And he loved Lotor.

His heart began steadying enough for him to catch a few stable breaths, and he staggered to get paper towels for his face. He focused religiously on his memories of him and Lotor at the beach, specifically replaying scenes of them splashing at each other in the water. Everything past that was blocked out of his head for obvious reasons.

By the time he left the bathroom, he was feeling much more sure of himself and sure of Lotor again, and even though his knees were still pretty weak, he was at least able to walk without stumbling too much.

Strangely enough, the first face he saw upon exiting the bathroom was Coran's. The mustached bartender was just standing around casually, almost as if he'd been waiting for something. As soon as he saw Lance, he waved and took four giant steps towards him.

"Well hello, Lance! Hope you're doing alright! You didn't look so hot rushing into the bathroom like that."

Lance's cheeks flushed a bit as he looked back at the bathroom.

"Oh, uh...no! I mean, yes, I'm fine!"

Coran raised an eyebrow, leaning forward like he was looking at Lance through a magnifying glass. "Are you sure? I could get you a drink if you'd like, freshen up a bit! It'd be on me!"

"Oh, no!" Lance exclaimed, quickly raising his arms up to decline. "Really, I'm alright!"

Coran inspected him more before straightening his back, coughing casually. "Well, if you say so. Anyways, I guess Lotor is back, hm? That's some news nobody can avoid."

Lance rubbed his wrist sheepishly, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah…"

"So," Coran twiddled with the end of his mustache like he tended to do. "How are things with Keith now that Lotor's around?"

His attention immediately snapped back up to Coran, eyes wide as he scanned their surroundings like they were in a minefield. "We...we shouldn't talk about that…! And besides, I'm with Lotor, so...yeah…"

He fidgeted nervously as Coran rose an eyebrow. "I see that. But is that okay? After all-"

"That's enough."

Lance jumped out of his skin as Lotor's voice cut off the conversation, appearing out of seemingly nowhere to stand at Lance's side, and he was quick to lean towards Lotor for support—not just from this situation, but from everything from earlier, too.

"Leave us," Lotor commanded, holding his hand up in dismissal. He was the boss now, so naturally, Coran could only shut his mouth and back away. Lotor wasn't the type of person he would want to disobey, anyways.

As soon as they were alone, Lance jumped into Lotor's arms and kissed him, eyes squeezing shut in an attempt to squeeze out all other thoughts currently occupying his mind. Keith, Coran, and everything else needed to go; Lotor was the only one he needed to be thinking about.

"Someone was eager to see daddy again," Lotor mused, running his hand through the back of Lance's hair. "Are you ready for our performance? It'll be just like last night; daddy will fuck you in front of everyone just the way you like it."

Lance nuzzled his forehead into Lotor's chest, sighing when he felt arms close around his back. "Yes, daddy, I'm ready."

Lotor made a purring noise, pressing his lips to the top of Lance's head in approval and making him radiate with joy. "Good boy. You're always ready, aren't you? Good boy...but, first things first…" He pulled Lance away from him so they could look at each other, hand sliding to cup his cheek. "...who was that customer you were speaking to earlier?"

The air around Lance suddenly turned to lead, weighing down on him and suffocating him as he stared into Lotor's gleaming eyes in horror. His breath was catching in his throat all over again, and he felt so stupid because of course, Lotor had warned him that he had men watching him at every second, and yet he had still gone and fucked up.

Despite his shaking, Lance managed to swallow down his whimpers, able to find his voice only thanks to his fear of punishment. "That...that was just a customer."

Lotor's thumb traced its way down Lance's cheek, swiping across his bottom lip, but it wasn't enticing in any way; it was threatening.

"A customer, hm. But you didn't even dance for him."

Lance froze up immediately, doing everything in his power to will back his tears, because if his eyes started to water then he would be screwed.

"You get one more chance to answer me," Lotor whispered, leaning forward so he was breathing down Lance's ear, causing him to shiver.

Lance was terrified, not just for himself, but for Keith as well. He knew what Lotor was willing to do to people who spoke to him...he would hurt them, and Lance didn't want Keith to get hurt. His brain was spinning like a top to the point where it almost ached, trying to find a way to salvage the situation.

"Did he disrespect you? Is that why you didn't dance for him? Because if he did, I can have this man hunted down and taken care of. He'll never come near you a-"

"No!" Lance shrieked, muscles tensing in panic. He knew he'd just messed up, but he was desperate and didn't know what else to do as Lotor rose an eyebrow.

No matter what, he couldn't tell the truth. If Lotor found out that Lance had been with Keith while he was away, there was no way he wouldn't go after Keith. The mere thought of withholding information from Lotor was outrageous to him...but he had no other choice.

"He...he was a friend. That's all. He was a friend, and so...it was awkward for me to dance for him."

Lance bit his lower lip, eyes dropping the floor. He knew that that alibi was flawed; if Keith was his friend, and if it was truly awkward, why did he have Lance on his lap in the first place? It made no sense, and he didn't know how he was going to get out of this grave that he'd just buried for himself and Ke-

"Alright."

He looked up in shock. Of all the ways he'd expected Lotor to retaliate, he hadn't expected him to accept Lance's excuse so easily. He was smiling and running his thumb back and forth against Lance's cheek without a hint of malice, and honestly, that just scared Lance even more...but at the same time, he wanted to believe in Lotor.

"R-really?" Lance stuttered, blinking away his fear in place of hope.

Lotor chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Of course. If you say that's all it was, then that's all. You aren't planning on finding him again...are you?"

"No!" Lance was quick to answer again, clinging to Lotor. "No, of course not! I only need you, daddy…"

He buried his face in Lotor's chest again, earning him a scratch against his head.

"I know. Good boy. But it took you too long to answer…" Lotor was whispering in his ear again, slipping the back of his fingers down his neck. "As punishment, I'm gonna have to be pretty rough with you on stage while we perform, but you understand. Don't you, daddy's boy?"

Lance shied away a bit, but was quick to lean into Lotor's hand as he shushed him soothingly. He was right—Lance had taken a long time to answer, so he did deserve the punishment. So long as it wasn't the cellar, he was okay with it. And besides, he much preferred Lotor taking things out on him than taking it out on Keith. He couldn't let Keith get hurt because of him. Keith shouldn't have to be involved with him anymore.

"I understand, daddy."

Lotor lightly smacked his cheek approvingly. "Good boy. Come, it's about time for us to perform."

Lance beamed and snuggled himself against Lotor's arm, resting his head against him and letting him lead him towards the stage.

"Oh, also," Lotor stopped suddenly, "that eccentric bartender from before, he was putting bad thoughts into your head, wasn't he?"

Lance blinked in confusion. "Coran? We were...just talking a-"

"No worries." Lotor cut him off, kissing his lips to quiet him. "I'm his boss now, and I'll have him taken care of. You'll never have to see him again."

Shock practically froze Lance in place, and he was only able to keep walking due to Lotor pulling him along. It quickly faded though, and he could only lean his head into Lotor, heart aching as if it had a terribly large crack running through it.

Coran had been there since Lance first started working at the Web, and now he was getting fired just for talking to him...it seemed so extreme, but he understood why Lotor did it. It was because he loved Lance so much, and he didn't want other people hurting him. He understood. Even so, he felt bad, because it was his fault Coran was getting punished like this…

He couldn't say anything about it, though. He just squeezed Lotor's arm tighter and hung his head in a silent apology for Coran—and a silent prayer that nobody else would try talking to him, lest they too end up punished by Lotor.

***

Their performance on stage was one of the more brutal things Lance had experienced in the last year—from a physical standpoint, anyways. Last night, Lotor had spanked Lance quite a bit on stage, but at least he had had Lance give him a blowjob before fucking him. This time around, Lotor pulled Lance on stage and went straight to entering him raw, holding nothing back. There was no mercy for Lance, no tenderness.

Obviously it was his fault, so it wasn't like he could feel sorry for himself or anything. He'd messed up by letting Lotor's men catch him talking to Keith, and then he'd taken too long to answer Lotor's questions, so of course he deserved the punishment...but that didn't mean he could stop himself from crying out in pain each time Lotor's cock tore into him.

It was less a 'performance' and more a 'demonstration' of what Lotor was willing to do to Lance, even in front of a crowd of people. The morality wasn't too questionable, though, since they were in the Web. The audience cheered each time Lance screamed and cried.

There were many times throughout the session where he thought he could just pass out, and between the pulling of his hair and the abuse of his rear, he almost wanted to. He knew that was impossible, though—Lotor would never forgive him if he blacked out while he was fucking him, and his body was trained enough to handle the roughest of treatment, even if it had been a year since he'd experienced this level of physical pain. That said, his body was growing increasingly more numb, which helped dull the pain a bit for the time being.

Lance received little to no pleasure throughout the entire thing, but thanks to practice, he was able to cum on command, giving the audience yet another close-up shot as Lotor dragged him by his hair.

"That's a good boy. That's daddy's little boy." Lotor praised, scooping him up in his arms and walking off stage with his limp form in his arms.

He didn't have the strength or spirit to move, so Lance just leaned against Lotor's chest, sighing and letting his eyes flutter. All he could focus on was the soreness pulsating from the very core of his muscles, and somehow, he found himself thinking back to Keith's words: _People don't hit the ones they love_.

"Here, sweetie. You wait here." Lotor set him down backstage, cupping his cheek lovingly. "Daddy has to go take care of some stuff, I need to speak with the DJ. Wait here for daddy to come back." He kissed Lance's forehead before walking away, with Lance staring after him from behind.

...maybe people didn't hit the ones they love, but this was different. He had deserved what Lotor did to him; he always did. Lotor was only trying to teach him lessons. Right. That's why Lotor did the things he did to Lance—because he had to. Everything Keith said was invalid, because he didn't know what Lance deserved the same way Lotor did. Only Lotor knew him.

He sighed, hugging himself and rocking back and forth on the bench as he waited for Lotor to return. He was going to just rest his head on his knees and sleep until Lotor came back for him, but from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his old clothes.

That's right—last night, Lotor just took Lance home right after their surprise performance. They'd left his clothes at the club, and apparently they were still there.

As he scooted closer to look over his clothes, body aching in harsh protest upon being forced to move, he saw his phone on a nearby table and quickly snatched it, as if out of reflex. Right; he'd left this behind, too.

He hesitantly turned it on and scrolled through his notifications, face collapsing as he saw all the missed calls from Pidge, Hunk, and...Keith.

In addition to that, there were even more text messages waiting for him from those three as well, with many of the recent ones asking him if he was okay. His heart throbbed as he looked through all of the messages, knowing he was just torturing himself since he could never be allowed to answer or look at past conversations ever again.

He clutched his phone to his chest, letting out sighs of resignation, when suddenly, his phone buzzed.

"Wha?" He gasped and pulled back to see a text from Keith—sent just now.

**KEYth** : Lance, please answer me.

He bit his lower lip, having not expected a text now of all times. He certainly hadn't expected one from Keith; not after he ran out on him the way he had earlier. This was bad. Keith needed to stop trying to associate with him already, or else it would only be bad for both of them…

Lance looked around cautiously multiple times, heart beating out of his chest and making him tremble with anxiety, before he turned back to his phone, swallowing to try and convince himself to do this.

**Lance** : I told you not to talk to me anymore.

**KEYth** : Lance, please, are you okay?

**KEYth** : I saw you on stage. It looked bad…

**KEYth** : Please tell me you're okay.

Lance was taken aback as he stared at his phone. Keith had responded immediately in a chain of rapid fire succession, but the thing that had him most surprised was that the first thing Keith asked was if he was okay. He had expected some reference to their conversation from earlier.

If there was any time to try and convince Keith to stay away, it was now.

**Lance** : I'm okay. Please don't talk to me anymore.

**KEYth** : Lance, please listen to me. Lotor isn't who you think he is...he's bad, and he's hurting you.

There it was. He was back to accusing Lotor.

**Lance** : Keith...that's enough. We're done.

He was tempted to end the conversation there: block Keith and force them to go their separate ways. In fact, he was very sure that was exactly what he should've done—but he didn't. He waited for Keith to reply. Even when he took slightly longer than before, giving Lance plenty of time to end things, he continued waiting.

**KEYth** : I don't know what he's saying to you, but you don't deserve to get hurt. No one does.

**Lance** : You don't know anything about me.

**KEYth** : Then tell me. I want to know. I want to be here for you.

Lance furrowed his eyebrows pointedly at his phone even though it was just a screen.

**Lance** : Just stop. I have Lotor.

**KEYth** : Lance...Lotor isn't who you think he is, he's straight up abusing you and publicly shaming you! How is that okay?

**Lance** : You don't understand, Lotor makes me happy.

He wasn't sure when he had gotten so defensive, but his sore muscles were suddenly tensing up despite the ache as he held his phone close to his face. He was completely unprepared for the next message, though.

**KEYth** : Didn't I make you happy?

Images of racing, shopping, eating out, and more racing flashed through Lance's head all within the span of three seconds, his heart picking up pace in that familiar adrenaline rush that he got whenever he remembered what it was like flying in Keith's car.

Suddenly, Lance's fingers trembled and struggled to type words as he involuntarily read Keith's text over and over again.

He was cut off before he could even finish his reply.

**KEYth** : Did you not care about the time we spent together?

Lance was stunned, eyes falling to the floor as he curled into himself.

**KEYth** : Were you just using me until Lotor came back?

He found himself shaking his head to no one in particular, eyes threatening to let more tears join the stained ones on his face from the performance with Lotor.

He hadn't just been using Keith; it was nothing like that, not even close. When he was with Keith, he felt like a car speeding down an empty road—free and able to speed past all the problems that followed him. He showed Lance what it was like to not have to rely on his body to define him.

Keith had shown Lance so much...but that life wasn't meant for him. It had been nice while it lasted, but that wasn't him— _this_ was. It was just as Lotor said; going an entire year without him had lead Lance astray into believing he could lead a different life, but true happiness for him was right here with Lotor, because Lotor understood him. The only reason his life with Keith had been nice was because Keith didn't know him the way Lotor did. It would've eventually fell apart.

**Lance** : It wasn't like that Keith...it never was. But only Lotor can love me. I belong to him.

**KEYth** : Lance, I'm begging you...I don't want to see you hurt anymore.

**KEYth** : Lotor treats you like a ragdoll on stage, in front of a bunch of eyes. He's just trying to possess you like an object.

**KEYth** : Does that sound like love?

Frustration twisted in Lance's stomach, but he wasn't sure if it was out of genuine anger...or fear.

**Lance** : We can't talk anymore, Keith. Lotor will be mad. He already punished me because we were talking earlier. You're only getting me into more trouble. You can help by going away.

Somehow, just texting those words were like nails in Lance's heart, but he knew there was no other option.

Keith, however, responded with a fury, and Lance could basically feel the heat burning through his screen.

**KEYth** : What the fuck?!

**KEYth** : He got mad just because you talked to me?! Does he even know me?

**Lance** : No, I can't talk to people, please just leave me alone now, okay?

Lance was quick to correct Keith, frowning. He needed to make sure Keith agreed to stop meddling, for both their sakes...unfortunately, though, Keith only resurged with a vengeance.

**KEYth** : WHAT?! You mean he gets mad when you just talk to people in general?!

**KEYth** : Lance please, this is beyond messed up, do you think what he's doing is okay? Don't you miss your friends? Are you allowed to talk to them?

He bit his lower lip at that, mind flashing to Pidge and Hunk and how they had just been starting to become more than just distractions to him. He did sort of miss them...they'd been around in his life for quite some time, and only recently did he begin to feel included...but Lotor made it clear that life wasn't for him, so that was that...right?

**Lance** : I do miss them…

He found his fingers moving before he could even think his actions through.

**Lance** : If Lotor says I can't talk, though, then I can't.

**KEYth** : How does that make sense?! How is that okay?!

**KEYth** : Lance, please, that isn't how love works. You know it too, don't you?

Every atom in Lance's body was shaking as he reread Keith's messages at least a thousand times. He was definitely no longer thinking before texting; all he had to go off of were the many confused emotions swimming inside him and whispering in his head.

**Lance** : I don't know…

**Lance** : I'm not sure anymore…

"I see you moved a little bit, despite me telling you not to."

Lotor's voice snapped Lance's attention up away from his phone, where Lotor was walking towards him, eyes already glued onto Lance and everything he was doing.

Never before had he felt as much panic as he did in that moment, and he desperately tried to text Keith and stuff his phone away at the same time. As a result, he was only able to send a message that read 'Lotor' before awkwardly cramming his phone in between his thighs, begging to any god, saint, or angel out there that he hadn't been caught. Obviously, things never went his way.

"Don't put it away, baby." Lotor was right in front of him now, fingers caressing the side of his head. "Don't put it away."

If Lance had been shaking before, now he was a trembling mess, whimpering and instinctively leaning away from Lotor's touch—a flight reaction. Despite his fear, or perhaps because of it, he slowly lifted his phone out from between his legs, clutching it to his lap for Lotor to see more clearly.

"...who were you talking to?"

The tears that had been growing from earlier were now falling for entirely different reasons as Lance melted beneath Lotor's stare like ice caught on a sunny day, avoiding eye contact at all cost. He couldn't afford trying to lie and he couldn't afford keeping Lotor waiting for answers.

"It was...just a friend."

Lotor leaned forward more, holding his hand out. "Let me see."

He immediately tried hiding the phone between his thighs again. "I-it was nothing important...I-I won't do it again, I promise."

He looked up desperately only to be met with Lotor's unsympathetic eyes. He wasn't asking for the phone; his hand was demanding it.

Lance wanted to break down right then and there. He could already see Lotor dragging him towards the cellar, beating him and reminding him why he couldn't talk to people...but maybe, just maybe, he could be spared if he cooperated.

He wasn't expecting any mercy for his crime, but he slowly and shakily extended his phone, gasping weakly when it was snatched by Lotor.

He didn't dare look up as Lotor scrolled through his texts silently, and the tension in the air was already enough to weigh down on Lance, torturing his sore body.

Lotor's thumb moved quickly, sending a text of his own before he confiscated the phone in his pocket. He then towered over Lance so that his shadow covered his meek form, arm raised, winding up to strike him.

Lance was quick to bury his face in his arms, sobbing and whimpering and pleading for mercy, chants of 'I'm sorry' leaving him over and over again as he prepared for the initial beating…

...only, instead of the pain of Lotor's fist, he felt the gentle caress of his fingers through his hair.

Lance was equally relieved as he was confused, continuing to hide away in his arms as Lotor sat on the bench next to him, whispering soft shushing noises as his long arms wrapped around Lance's bundled, crying form.

"Shh...baby...baby, it's okay."

Lance instinctively flinched away from Lotor's touch, just waiting for the sudden turnaround of pain. Even as Lotor hugged his head to his chest, he refused to look up from his arms, crying and biting at his lower lip. He knew what was coming; it had to be.

"Quiet now...it's okay, you're okay, baby, daddy's not mad...don't be scared...shhh…"

Lotor's words and tone of voice offered a bit of a cushion for Lance's spiralling fear, but what really got him to bury his face into Lotor was the soft and gentle kisses against his head.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry…! Please daddy, I'm so sorry, I don't want to go in the cellar!" He clawed at Lotor's shirt frantically, shaking his head into his chest and staining the fabric with tears.

"Come here." Lotor lifted Lance onto his lap completely, enveloping him in his warm arms and rocking back and forth. "Shhh...I told you, it's okay, daddy's not mad. Daddy forgives you."

Lance shook his head more, sobbing violently as his incoherent begging continued.

"Sweetie, look at me. Look at daddy." Lotor grabbed Lance's cheeks and forced him to look at him, tears overflowing down his face. "Sweetie, no one's going in the cellar, okay? Okay?" He shook Lance's face, refusing to let go of him until he got Lance to nod in understanding. "Good boy. Come here, sweetie."

He embraced him again, and even though Lance was listening to Lotor, that didn't mean he could just stop his crying. His nails dug into Lotor, leaving marks from how hard he was clinging, and they rocked back and forth as Lance tried to get his sobbing out, still seeing the cellar door in his mind.

"Do you...really forgive me for talking to somebody…?" He sniffled, forehead pressed firmly to Lotor's chest.

"Shhh...of course I forgive you, baby. Daddy loves you. Daddy loves you way too much not to forgive you. Everybody makes mistakes, baby, it's okay. As long as you don't do it behind my back again, okay?"

It took only a moment for his words to sink in before Lance was tasting his own tears, smile spreading wide across his face.

"I was so scared...oh god...daddy, I'm so sorry, I'll never do it again I promise…" He was still very much shivering from his fear, but he was slowly restabilizing as he realized that Lotor did in fact love him. Lotor loved him so, _so_ much, and he couldn't believe he had been listening to Keith just minutes earlier.

He began giggling softly as Lotor pet him, still making hushed sounds to quiet Lance's occasional hiccups.

"No talking behind my back, okay baby? Because then I can't make sure you're being treated right. You have to ask me before you interact with someone, because they might be bad for you. They might try to tell you bad things, and I need to protect you, baby." He caressed Lance's cheek with what was surely all the love in the world. "You can interact with people if you want, you just need to ask first and I'll let you. I just want you to be safe, and I want you to be happy. I know I haven't been a perfect daddy, so I need you to tell me when you need something and how I can be better."

Lance shook his head adamantly, throwing his arms around Lotor's neck and snuggling close. "No, you're perfect, daddy! You're perfect the way you are and I love you!"

Lotor made a purring sound from deep in his throat, rubbing Lance's back as they cuddled on the bench.

After a few moments of really mulling over Lotor's words, Lance slowly looked up at his daddy, swallowing and trying to be brave since that's what Lotor wanted him to do. He wanted him to talk to him more.

"Um...daddy…" He rubbed his own wrist while leaning into Lotor's chest. "I...I do want to talk...to other people. I want to be able to interact with other people...only if you say yes though!" He looked up at Lotor in alarm, heart pounding against his chest only for his apprehension to be quelled by Lotor's warm smile.

"Okay, sweetie," he said without hesitation, nuzzling their foreheads together. "You can interact with anybody I approve of."

Butterflies of incomparable sizes were fluttering in Lance's stomach as Lotor stood up, carrying Lance bridal style and giving him one more kiss on the nose. Lance was hardly able to focus on anything though, too starstruck by the fact that Lotor was willing to change for him.

They were sitting back in the limo before he knew it, with his body snuggled up against Lotor on his lap like usual.

"Are we going home now?" He asked, sleepily rubbing his head against his daddy.

"No, not quite. You see, daddy wants to show you more about his life now, baby...daddy wants you to be a part of every piece of his life. And, daddy has friends for you to interact with, just like you wanted."

Lance beamed up at Lotor, immediately losing all sense of fatigue.

"Really? You really mean it, daddy?!"

A nod was all he needed before he was practically squealing with joy and excitement. This was it. This was proof that Lotor for sure loved Lance. Previously, things used to always be about them being together, and Lance never really got to know much about Lotor outside of their relationship...but now, Lotor wanted to bring Lance into other aspects of his life, and even more than that, he was willing to introduce Lance to some friends.

Lance was positive things couldn't get any better than this as he nestled himself into his lover, eagerly awaiting what the rest of the night had in store for him.

***~Keith~***

**Lance** : Lotor

Keith stared at that text for a good while, a million things all clashing together in his head at once. Had Lance accidentally hit the send button early? Was he still typing his text? Should Keith respond? Had something happened?

He waited for a good few seconds, but ultimately had to play it safe—especially after having witnessed that brutal and disgusting performance, not to mention all the information he was receiving on Lance and Lotor's relationship. His distress was shooting through the roof.

**Keith** : Lance, are you there?

**Keith** : Lance, answer me, is everything okay?

**Keith** : Lance!

He looked around at the crowded club for something that could possibly help him, but he just felt so useless as he stared at his phone screen. He'd just been getting through to Lance, he couldn't just stop answering like that—

**Lance** : After tonight, Lance will be gone, don't worry. But still...I'd watch my back if I were you.

He stared at that message.

He reread it.

He reread it again.

After the fourth time, the situation sunk into him. _Lotor_. Lotor was threatening him, trying to scare him away. But yet...there was something strange about his wording.

_After tonight, Lance will be gone_. Just replaying those words in his head made Keith's heart thump against his chest, adrenaline taking control over his breathing.

Lotor hadn't just threatened Keith with that text. He had threatened Lance, too.

Keith was immediately racing out of the Web towards his car. He didn't know how well he could drive given how much his hands were shaking, but he could worry about his own safety later. Lance was in danger—he could just feel it. Something was off, and he didn't know if he could wait even a second longer, much less until morning, to take action.

His car sped down the empty road towards Matt's house, fingers tapping against the steering wheel as he prayed to any god, saint, or angel out there that Katie would have some sort of answer.

And as he accelerated with what he thought was an appropriate level of urgency, those haunting words from Lotor's text continued to echo in his mind, striking him with a level of pure terror that he had never before witnessed.

_After tonight, Lance will be gone_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awwwww, see? Lotor's so nice! He forgave him, he's changing, maybe he's not such a bad guy!
> 
> *Looks at my notes for next chapter*
> 
> ....................oh.


	10. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **PLEASE READ!!!!!!**
> 
> This chapter has some major, major trigger warnings that I feel I must warn you of before you start reading. Once the chapter reaches a certain point, you will see another trigger warning, but I figured I should leave one here in the beginning, too. So, yeah. MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS AHEAD! You can go ahead and read until you reach the warning in the middle of the chapter, which will then give you the option to just skip to the end notes, where I summarize the chapter. BE SAFE WHILE READING THIS PLEASE!!!!

The moon was quickly nearing its highest point in the sky, indicating just how late it was as Keith sped down the road. The good thing about driving at this time of night was that there weren't many other cars, so he could just focus on racing towards Matt's house as quickly as he could.

He'd been there once before to pick up Shiro after a party ended up with them getting too drunk to drive themselves, but he still knew the route by heart. Even if he didn't, he was sure his panicked state would've forced him to remember the route.

He wasn't entirely sure why he had such a bad feeling in his gut, but he was sure that he couldn't wait until tomorrow morning to see Katie. It had to be now. There was always the possibility that he'd just be disturbing the family since it was so late, but that wasn't important to him at the moment. The only thing that mattered was asking Katie to tell him everything she knew about Lance, so that he could come up with a plan for where he went from here.

_After tonight, Lance will be gone_. That text must've played through his head a million times now, but as bone-chilling as it was, he welcomed it. He thought those words through over and over again, letting his fear fuel his speed. 'Desperate' didn't even begin to describe him right now as he sped down the highway towards the Holt household, praying that Katie could help him help Lance.

***~Lance~***

Lotor asked Lance multiple times throughout the car ride if he wanted to sleep, but of course he denied it every time. While he had been exhausted earlier, all symptoms of fatigue had faded upon learning that Lotor was taking him somewhere personal to him.

Lance had never known anything about Lotor's personal life, even throughout the two years they had spent together. The most he knew was that Lotor was affiliated with the Galra company and thus was a man of very large influence, which just made Lance even more giddy over the fact that Lotor wanted to be with him of all people. He'd always wanted to be more involved in his life, though, so hearing that Lotor wanted to take Lance somewhere to meet some friends was like a dream come true.

He didn't bother to question where they were going as he bounced on Lotor's lap; he didn't need to. It didn't matter to him—all that mattered was that he was finally getting something he had wanted ever since he and Lotor first got together. This was all the proof he needed that Lotor really did love him as much as he said.

The limo stopped outside of a bar that had a paint job with a color scheme that was even darker than the Web. The side walls seemed to be several shades of black, following a gradient towards the front, where there was a door that might as well have been the embodiment of night itself, especially when the sky was as dark as it was. The place screamed 'shady' in every sense of the word, and it didn't seem to be trying to hide that fact, either. Even Lance could discern that much despite his peppy eagerness.

"It...looks kinda dark." He laughed at himself for saying that, bumping his head against Lotor's chest and looking up at him with two big full moons for eyes.

Lotor grinned and stroked a couple of fingers through his hair, looking up at the building. "Yes. It does. Come on, sweetie."

They exited the limo arm and arm and walked towards the building, which Lance quickly identified as a bar. It was quiet for a bar at this time of night, but it was a bar nonetheless. There was another bar just a few yards away, so he assumed maybe that one was stealing all the customers. Like two spiderwebs side by side; one catches all the prey while the other one remains empty.

Of course, that brought into question why they were going to the less populated one, but Lance was fully under the 'wait and find out' policy, so he clung to Lotor with all his trust as they walked in.

The bar was completely empty save for a massive man at the counter, which explained the silent atmosphere.

As soon as they approached the counter, the man looked up, showing off a large red tattoo that crossed over his right eye.

"I didn't expect to see you running the front counter yourself, Sendak." Lotor commented, taking a seat and gesturing for Lance to do the same.

Lance felt Sendak's eyes wander from Lotor over to him, crushing him under his gaze and giving him goosebumps. He couldn't quite explain it—the entire place just made him so uncomfortable. He really wanted to sit on Lotor's lap so he'd have his daddy's comfort, but Lotor gestured to the seat next to him again, so Lance obliged.

"Don't act so surprised, Lotor. I like being at the front sometimes. Gives me the chance to meet new people." Sendak's eyes drifted over Lance once more, and his hands reactively shot out and grabbed onto Lotor while he squeaked in discomfort.

Lotor and Sendak both chuckled at that as his daddy accepted his hand, locking their fingers together.

"Don't worry, sweetie. This bar is the headquarters for a branch of the Galra. Sendak's the leader of the local gang around here."

Lance squeezed Lotor's hand to combat his minor trembling as he attempted to look up at Sendak again, but that only increased his shaking.

"A-a...a gang?" He gulped.

"That's right. They're friends of mine, don't worry."

_This is the friend?_ Lance eyed Sendak uncertainly as the burly man turned and began getting drinks for them. He looked...so scary...and it wasn't just the tattoo that covered half his face. Gangs in general were scary...but if he was a friend of Lotor's, then he must be nice. Appearances weren't everything.

Lance took several deep breaths as Sendak placed two cups in front of them before leaning against the counter.

"Go on, have a drink. On me." He offered, turning his attention to Lance. "You know, I've heard about you, but you're even cuter in person than I imagined."

A wave of red tinted Lance's cheeks, and he stiffened awkwardly, turning to Lotor, who wasn't watching them. Male customers called him cute all the time at the Web, but never right in front of Lotor. Lance wasn't sure what to make of it. He wanted to mind his manners in front of Lotor's friend, though, so he bowed his head a bit.

"Um...th-thank you."

"He _is_ adorable."

Lance immediately whipped around at the sound of another voice, eyes widening at the sight of two more men walking over to them. One of them was tall and relatively skinny while the other neared Sendak in terms of body mass.

"Prorok, Haxus," Lotor greeted with a wave of his hand. Lance, wanting to continue to be polite, copied him with a small wave.

They both laughed at that, sauntering closer around Lance's other side. The taller one, Haxus, stayed standing while Prorok took a seat, immediately prompting Lance to lean towards Lotor more. They were very close.

"What's wrong? Not drinking?" Prorok asked, gesturing to the untouched cup of liquor in front of Lance.

He found himself stumbling over his words, both hands pushed down into his lap. He didn't even realize when Lotor had let go of his hand. "O-oh, um...I guess I'm not…"

"Go on, cutie. Have a drink, just like Lotor. We're giving it to you for free, as friends, after all." Prorok said.

Lance blinked in surprise at that. Friends. That's what they were...right? Or rather, that's why he was here—to interact with people.

He glanced over at Lotor, who was conversing with Sendak while lifting his cup to his lips.

He had brought Lance here because Lance asked to interact with people; he had to do his daddy proud.

"Okay." He gulped before raising his cup and taking a few sips, pleased to find that the liquor was actually decently flavored. Maybe this gang-headquarter-bar place wasn't so bad.

"I'm glad you like it enough to drink, although you still seem tense." Sendak said, leaning back over to Lance's side of the counter. "Haxus, make him more comfortable."

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm fi—!" Lance squeaked in surprise as Haxus rested his hands on Lance's shoulders, pressing against them a bit before massaging them.

"Relax. That's it." Haxus spoke for the first time, voice sounding strangely hiss-like, almost like a snake.

"You'll feel better if you relax, and with a few more drinks." Prorok assured him, hand suddenly resting against his knee, eliciting another squeak from Lance.

"U-um…" His eyes traveled from Prorok's hand, then to the man himself, then to Lotor, who was once again talking with Sendak. No one seemed to have any problems, so he figured it was just a 'friend' thing. The massaging must've just been a part of the 'friend' thing, too, although it was admittedly making him _more_ uncomfortable rather than helping him relax. He didn't know what to do or say, so he tried reaching for Lotor's hand again. "D-daddy…"

"Shh…" Haxus's hand was immediately lowering Lance's wrist away from Lotor, rubbing at his skin a little. "Don't disturb their conversation. That's your daddy, and that's my boss. Neither of us want to get in trouble, do we?"

Lance gulped, looking back at Haxus. "I...I guess not...ah!" He gasped as Prorok's palm began rubbing circles on his knee while he grinned, showing off his crooked teeth with his eyes glued to Lance's face.

"I'm glad Lotor brought along such a cute friend. I hope you're enjoying yourself."

Lance bit his lower lip, unable to come up with an answer to that as he looked back and forth between all the men in the room.

Suddenly, Lotor's phone began ringing, drawing everyone's attention to him as he immediately picked up. Even as he exchanged the routinely 'hello' and 'this is Lotor', however, Haxus and Prorok's hands never left Lance.

He listened to the other line for about thirty seconds before he stood up. "Excuse me, I must take this conversation elsewhere—important business."

"Daddy!" Lance cried out in alarm, grabbing a hold of his sleeve and scooting to the edge of his seat with pleading eyes.

They stared at each other for a while before Lotor's eyes drifted back towards the phone. "You stay here, baby. Daddy will be right back, promise. It won't take long at all."

"No!" Lance begged, immediately getting out of his seat, fear driving him to fight Lotor's command, but Prorok was quick to grab a hold of his arm, and of course, he couldn't escape. "Daddy!"

He called after Lotor multiple times, but all he got were looks that warned him to silence himself before Lotor spoke back to the person on the other end of the phone, walking out of the bar.

He just walked out.

At this point, Lance was ready to start hyperventilating as his vision became spotted, and his knees collapsed beneath him. Luckily, Haxus caught him and put him back on his seat, turning him around so he could rest his head on the counter.

"Daddy...daddy...no…!" Tears pricked at his eyes, and he hugged himself tightly while rocking back and forth to try and regain control of his wheezing breaths.

"Hey...hey. Shhh. Calm down." Sendak spoke in a strangely hushed voice as Haxus and Prorok's hands continued massaging his shoulders and knees.

Lance was in such a panicked state that he did his best to listen to them, eyes squeezing shut. His stomach churned violently, and he was sure that he would've puked if he was still standing.

"Drink." Sendak pushed his cup forward for emphasis. "Trust me, it'll help you calm down. It'll keep you from losing it long enough for him to come back for you."

His ears perked at that, and he lifted his head to observe the cup. It was true that liquor might help...and it wasn't enough for him to get drunk—his tolerance was pretty high anyways—it was just to loosen up. That sounded logical enough.

"...okay…" He picked up the cup with both hands, trying to stabilize his shaking enough to calmly lift it up before he tilted his head back and downed the entire cup, desperate for the panicking to stop.

As soon as the cup was empty, he shrunk in on himself again and let out a prolonged whimpering sound, too weakened by Lotor leaving to pay attention to Haxus and Prorok's hands exploring his body a little further.

"Here." Sendak slammed his cup back down in front of him, completely refilled. "Drink some more, if you want to feel better."

Lance looked up, and though the prospect of drinking his anxiety away was tempting, he was always a cautious drinker. After all, he couldn't do his stripping job properly if he got too drunk.

He figured he would just take a few more sips and picked up the cup to do just that. As soon as he swallowed, though, his head began getting hot and dizzy, and he had to set the cup down before he dropped it.

"Woah…" He muttered, falling backwards into Haxus's stomach clumsily.

"Careful, now." Sendak warned, but there was no sincerity behind it.

The dizziness faded after a few seconds, allowing him to sit up on his own again, but the heat stayed. In fact, the heat was quickly spreading through his body, trickling down his bloodstream, and he could almost _feel_ it, like the heat was physical, bringing out goosebumps and quickening his heart rate and—

"Oh? Looks like somebody's naughty." Prorok's hand brushed against his inner thigh, traveling closer and closer, as if drawn in by the heat, until he was feeling up Lance's boner.

Lance yelped and tried jumping away and out of his seat, but he was held down by Haxus's hands on his shoulders—he couldn't move anywhere.

"U-um...this isn't…" He trailed off, looking down in shame as Sendak peered over the counter to see his hardness for himself.

"Oh...so he's getting hard just from having some strangers massage him?"

"No!" Lance cried out, voice hoarse. The heat was only getting stronger still, and his dick was pulsing so painfully hard despite having had sex with Lotor on stage just earlier.

_Why?!_ He thought to himself, chewing his lower lip in humiliation as the three men stared at him in wait of an explanation. _Why am I hard? I'm not even aroused, I'm just hard...and why is it so hot…_

Haxus leaned down, whispering into his ear. "...slut."

Lance whipped around, eyes wide and brimming with tears. "N-no! It's not like that! I don't know why this is…"

"So, Lotor's little boy is actually a big slut, huh." Prorok mused, rubbing his crotch more.

"Stop…" Lance pleaded, struggling to try and wriggle away. He didn't know which was more mortifying, the verbal degradation or the touching.

Technically, he _was_ a slut. He had sex with men at the Web for money...even though he hadn't done any of that ever since meeting a certain black-haired boy...either way, though, he was used to being called a slut even if not recently. The word itself wasn't the problem, though. The problem was what it was implying—that he had gotten hard from the massages, and that just wasn't true...it couldn't be true…

He hid his face in his hands in shame, repeatedly pleading for them to stop.

"You can't get hard from just this much touching and try to claim you aren't a slut." Sendak pointed out.

Lance squirmed some more, proving just how useless it was against Prorok and Haxus's holds on him as he shook his head. "No...I don't know why…"

"So Lotor brought in a slutty one, huh."

His eyes widened at the sound of a new voice, and he instantly turned to see a fourth man walking over, grinning and eyeing him like a piece of prey.

"He's a very slutty one. You'll like him, Throk." Prorok stated as the newcomer named Throk leaned in from the side Lotor had been sitting at.

At this point, Lance's anxiety was shooting through the roof, and it was impossible to quell his shaking as he cursed himself over and over again. _Why is this happening, why is this happening, why is this happening…_

"I wonder what Lotor would think." Throk wondered out loud, immediately putting a stop to any thoughts Lance was having, his eyes falling wide open in horror.

"Hm, you're right. If Lotor knew about this, things would get ugly. Even Lotor could never love a slut who's willing to get hard for others behind his back without permission." Sendak said, and they all laughed in agreement.

Tears somehow managed to build up in Lance's eyes despite how overused his tear ducts were, but he didn't care because suddenly it didn't matter why this was happening, all that mattered was that Lotor didn't know.

"N-no!" He croaked out, cutting through their laughter.

He looked straight at Sendak since he seemed to be the leader, speaking without any breath to support his voice.

"P-please! Don't tell daddy...don't tell Lotor…"

"He gives you everything you need, and yet you still get hard for other men just from simple touching." Sendak shook his head, grin never leaving his face. "Our gang works for Lotor; it's our job to let him know these kinds of things."

Lance couldn't believe what he was hearing, hands moving down his face to cover his mouth as he shook his head.

"No…" He whispered. All he could hear was Sendak's voice repeating that even Lotor could never love a slut who got hard like this behind his back. "No...no please...I need Lotor...please don't tell him, I'll do anything…"

"'Anything'?"

The men were quick to latch onto his words, forcing him deeper and deeper into a dark hole as he glanced around at all four of them, swallowing hard.

"...y-yes...just please...please don't tell him."

**ALERT: MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS AHEAD, INCLUDING GRAPHIC RAPE SCENES. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. SKIP TO THE END NOTES IF YOU WOULD JUST LIKE A SUMMARY OF THE EVENTS, BECAUSE THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.**

They exchanged looks, but it was clear they hardly even needed to discuss it as Prorok's hand latched onto his crotch completely, squeezing.

"Alright, slut. We won't tell anyone anything, but in turn you're gonna have to help us. It isn't every day a pretty, horny thing like you waltzes in here offering 'anything', so…" He turned in his seat a bit, revealing to Lance the bulge in his pants.

The turn of events wasn't much of a turn at all to Lance; he had felt them taking this path as soon as the atmosphere had started to change. That didn't make him any happier about it, though, as he bowed his head in resignation.

"...understood…" He whispered.

It was okay. This was okay. Blowjobs were easy enough. He just had to kneel in front of Prorok, suck him to completion, and then he would be good to go—

"Well, at least he's willing to cooperate." Throk commented, already pulling down his pants.

Lance's eyes widened as he turned his head suddenly at the sound of so much clothes rattling, realization dawning on him a second too late.

"Wait—no!" He cried out in alarm as Haxus picked him up effortlessly, setting his butt on the table before following the other men in getting rid of his clothes.

Lance took the chance while they were all busy and clambered onto all fours in an attempt to dart out of there, but Sendak was quick to slam him down on the counter, resulting in a hopeless yelp.

"Stop, please, d-don't do this! I don't want this...I-I'll tell Lotor…!"

They all erupted into laughter as Throk smacked his ass and grabbed it. "Stupid slut, have you already forgotten that the whole reason you're doing this is because you _can't_ tell Lotor?"

Dread combined with the rest of his despair, stomach dropping like a bowling ball as their hands all grabbed at him, ripping at his clothes, and there was nothing he could do about it, because they were right; he couldn't tell Lotor. He couldn't do anything.

Tears fell down his face as he was forced stark naked within seconds, and though he continued to struggle and protest against their hands, he might as well have been motionless due to how useless it was.

"Come now, don't be like this. It isn't like we're doing anything against your will. You said you'd do 'anything'." Prorok reminded, getting up on the counter with Lance and stroking his dick right in front of him. They were all naked now, filling the air with the suffocating scent of man musk.

Lance was gagging just at the smell and sight of them, but he had brought this upon himself...he had gotten hard and he didn't even know why, but now he had to go through with this if he wanted to make sure Lotor still loved him…

They could see the understanding sinking into his face as Sendak smacked him on the ass, making him flinch. "Go on. I'm sure a slut like you knows how to have sex. You'd best get to it. Unless you want Lotor to know how unfaithful you are to him."

They knew exactly how to make him move as Lance swallowed down a sob and crawled forward in between Prorok's legs, wrapping both hands around his thick cock. The sooner he got this over with, the better.

His lips wrapped around the cock, giving himself just a second or two to get used to it before going down the length. He got a curse accompanied by a buck of the hips in response.

"Fuck! What a natural...he really is a slut!"

"I don't need your word for it, Prorok." Throk stated, getting up on the counter behind Lance. "I'll just see for myself."

Panic shuddered up Lance's spine all over again as Throk wasted no time in shoving three fingers up his already used ass, prepping him for his cock.

Tears dripped from Lance's cheek onto the counter, because even though he'd figured his ass would get used, there was no way to prepare for something this brutal.

Meanwhile, Sendak and Haxus were just rubbing their cocks while watching, no doubt waiting their turn. He wasn't naive enough to think they'd just sit out the entire time.

"Hey, come on! Focus on that cock!" Prorok scolded, thrusting his hips upwards and spearing his throat.

"Cut him some slack, he's too busy focusing on the fingers giving him that sweet slutty pleasure he loves so much!" Throk laughed, quickly joined by the other two.

Lance wasn't sure what made his tears burn more, the feeling of Prorok's fat cock invading his throat or the raw, dry scissoring of Throk's fingers that he called 'pleasure'.

As soon as Throk ripped his fingers out, he replaced them with his cock, shoving in and forcing Lance to take a cock without any form of lubricant for the second time that night. Needless to say, he was gagging and sobbing and screaming around Prorok's cock, walls violently parting for Throk as he drove himself all the way forward.

The fact that he hadn't had time to recover from Lotor's performance on stage just made it that much more unbearable; Lance was certain he was being torn in half.

Prorok quite enjoyed his screams, slapping his cheek lightly. "Man, that's good when his voice is all muffled by my cock...make him scream more, Throk."

If he could beg for mercy, Lance would've done it then and there, eyes widening as his head shook itself on Prorok's dick, but that only caused him more pleasure. Lance was just digging himself further into his grave as Throk began thrusting, and the abuse was quick to override Lance's mind.

On the one hand, he was glad to be so out of it because it became hard to focus on anything, really, but on the other hand, the pain he was feeling was so intense that he constantly felt it rippling through his entire body no matter how dazed he became.

Things just got worse when Sendak and Haxus each grabbed one of his hands, forcing his fingers around their cocks, and now, he was spitroasted in between two men without even his hands to support him. His head naturally fell all the way forward onto Prorok's cock, stinging his throat. He attempted to lift his head, but it was impossible without his hands supporting him, so he was forced to stay with his nose buried in the man's pubic hair, suffocating on his cock.

His eyes squeezed shut as their gruntled moans surrounded him in a sphere of torment and shame. It was difficult to focus on anything, but when his body did focus, all there was to feel was the striking pain of Throk's cock tearing through his worn out walls, the smothering of Prorok's cock against his airway, and Sendak and Haxus using his hands to get themselves off.

He was like a dead corpse that was just being used for other men's pleasure, and he was constantly reminded of it by their repeated groans of 'slut' and 'whore'. And when he felt his own cock, still as hard as ever, he knew they were right.

He didn't know why he was like this. He didn't know why he was hard, or why he was a slut. Maybe it was a lifestyle he chose, but he didn't choose to get hard here...he didn't choose anything about this current situation.

That was when many words that he had heard in the past came rushing back; maybe he was just born this way. Maybe this was just all he could be good for, all he was ever meant to be from the very beginning…it definitely seemed like that given where life had taken him right now.

Throk's cock was hammering away at his prostate, but he could barely feel the usual electric sensations that came along with sex. He didn't care.

They were fucking him because of something _he_ did. _He_ had gotten hard for them behind Lotor's back. He had betrayed the only man who could ever love him…

_I'm sorry…_ He thought to himself as more tears spilled over his eyes, not quite sure who he was apologizing to. _I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry that I'm like this…_

He wept uselessly as he was shoved forward onto Prorok's cock more and more with each of Throk's thrust, unable to lift himself off. Finally, though, after a few more violent rounds of his balls violently smacking Lance's ass, Throk buried himself deep inside of him and let his body tense against Lance's, releasing his full load inside of him.

Hot cum flooded Lance's insides, making his stomach twist in protest, but there was nothing he could do but take it.

"Now this...this is what a slut's ass is like." Throk claimed, groaning and groping his ass while finishing his climax. "I can't even begin to imagine how many cocks you've taken to get this naturally good. Still tight, too."

It wasn't like Lance wasn't used to being referred to like an object, but something about the whole situation made it sink in more as his body went limp the moment Throk pulled out, useless without the support of his body pushing up against him.

Haxus let go of Lance's hand, letting him take it away from his cock while climbing behind him, and that gave Lance time to use his one free hand to support his body on the counter enough to pull his head off of Prorok's cock.

Massive gasps heaved through his entire body, relieved to be breathing in air that wasn't heavily tainted by Prorok's stench. It was like he'd never known fresh air. Naturally, however, that relief was short lived.

"Get back down here, slut. I never said you were done." Prorok spat, curling his hand in Lance's hair and pulling it harshly.

"No, plea—!" He wasn't even sure why he was still begging them not to do anything as his cry was sharply cut off by a faceful of Prorok's cock, which quickly turned into a throatful of it. The easiest thing to do would just be to accept that this was his fate; this was his life.

Another cock began rubbing against his hole, which had just started to leak Throk's cum.

"Adorable how you think you get to lose any of our cum." Haxus snickered, pinching his ass cheeks and pushing the cum back inside with the head of his cock. "I suppose we'll just have to re-teach your body how to do its job!"

Lance cried out around Prorok as he took his third cock that night, and even though he was capable of taking multiple cocks in one night and had done so before at the Web, this time was different because it was all raw. As a sex worker, he never let his ass get too harmed because he needed it in good shape to make money—but he wasn't the one in control here.

Much like Throk, Haxus showed no care for the wellbeing of his body as he immediately began pistoning his cock in and out of Lance's ass, tearing through his already abused hole.

Lance had one arm to himself now to help hold his body up, but it didn't make much of a difference when his body was shaking to the extent that it was.

His hair was still being pulled by Prorok, who was forcing his face as far down his cock as it could go, and Haxus's thrusting only forced him further forward.

He was certain Prorok's cock was all he would be able to smell after this as he gagged and desperately inhaled through his nose to try to satisfy his burning lungs; it didn't work. He could breathe just enough to stay conscious, but at this point, he was considering if it would be better to just drop already.

"You'd best not disappoint," Sendak warned, as if sensing his wavering devotion as he gripped Lance's wrist harder, still forcing his hand up and down his cock. "I'm going last, and if you don't give me your best performance, Lotor is going to know _everything_ ; except we'll tell him you asked for it to begin with."

Panic resurged in his stomach with a vengeance as his eyes widened, and the sheer adrenaline was enough to get his head spinning again, forced to take in every sensation going through his body.

From off to the side, Throk laughed, just watching. "That's precisely why I went first, to make sure I got the best of it! Although, knowing how much of a slut he is, he's probably useful no matter how many times he takes a big 'ol cock up his ass!"

Haxus helped drive Throk's point home by slapping his ass, and Lance was sure his face was getting wrinkly by now, what with how many tears covered his cheeks.

Even if his mouth wasn't completely occupied with Prorok's cock, he knew he wouldn't be able to protest. He couldn't defend himself...not when Haxus reached around to stroke the very proof of how slutty he was while still fucking him.

Lance was most certainly not aroused by this situation; he was practically being raped! So he didn't know why his dick was so hard or why his body continued to get hotter as all three cocks used his body in some way.

Eventually, Haxus's thrusting became much more erratic and unfocused, similarly to Throk's. He didn't need to guess what was coming.

"Your ass really _is_ as tight as ever...shit...guess that means it really wants more, huh? We'll see how much it can take after swallowing my load."

Lance squeezed his eyes shut, as if that would help him block out the real world as he felt Haxus cumming inside of him, hips pushed together in a grinding motion.

After that thrashing, Lance just wanted to flop down and sob his eyes out, but he knew there was no point in even trying to convince himself that any of this was even close to over as Prorok finally pulled his cock from Lance's throat, moving behind him to take Haxus's place.

"Now we get to hear his sweet, sweet voice. I hear this is Lotor's favorite part about him, listening to the way he screams." Haxus said, taking a seat next to Throk as they watched.

The audience might've been smaller than at the Web of Sins, but Lance easily felt ten times more humiliated right now than he ever had in his entire life—probably because at the Web, he was at least having sex with Lotor. But this...this was something he never would've asked for.

He didn't have a choice there, though.

"Ask for it." Prorok ordered, taking full advantage of his free mouth while letting his wet cock rub against Lance's used hole, large tip blocking any cum from exiting. "Beg for what you know you want."

Even though nothing was blocking his airway, Lance found his breath caught completely in his throat as his mouth hung open in horror, refusing to move.

"Hurry!" Prorok smacked his ass, which was no doubt even more red than it had been before now. "Or perhaps you need some incentive. Haxus! Why don't you send Lotor a picture of how hard his slut is while getting touched by other—"

"No!" Lance's voice cracked before he could even think, turning over his shoulder at Prorok. "P-please, don't do that…" He was already at his limit, perhaps even beyond it at this point, and being forced to beg in a situation like this was soul crushing...but no matter what, Lance wouldn't risk losing the one person who actually wanted him. He couldn't.

He bit his trembling lower lip hard enough to bruise it, swallowing hard as the gang members waited. Then, when he spoke, his voice came out as bruised and broken as he was.

"Please...use my...my hole. I deserve it…" He looked back at Prorok again, on the verge of dropping from the counter in tears from his words alone.

Prorok traced the curve of his ass, as if trying to decide if he was satisfied or not. Then, without warning, he was suddenly thrusting his cock into Lance, ripping a blood curdling cry from his throat.

His voice wasn't able to travel very far, but the effort it took still shook Lance to his core as Prorok fucked him and slapped his ass each time he wailed in pain. While it did help a little to have two loads inside already, along with the fact that Prorok's cock was slicked up with Lance's spit, it was still his third cock in a row, and each one only got rougher.

His entire backside was completely numb at this point as Prorok plowed into him, groaning and growling humiliating insults, but he could barely hear any of it. The only thing reaching Lance's ears were his own screams and the pounding of his head and his chest. His defiled, broken body was screaming at him from the inside out for being such a useless slut.

At some point, Sendak had backed away and given him his hand back, but he didn't even notice. It didn't matter, anyways, since his muscles felt too drained to even try lifting himself up. His stomach was lying dead on the counter, ass raised by Prorok simply for convenience. After all, that was all his body was for.

Lance had completely lost his sense of time by now, barely able to tell how long Prorok's cock spent abusing him over and over again. He moaned when he was told to moan, he cried when he was told to cry, and he begged when told to beg, but none of it registered with Lance's hazy mind. After all, sex was second nature to him. It was just as they were saying; he was a slut.

After an indistinct amount of time passed, Prorok was finally releasing his load into Lance, and he found his vision going spotted; although, he didn't know if those two things were related or not.

Whatever the case, having three loads inside of his ass was way too much, and he could just feel all the cum brimming and building up, ready to explode out of his ass. Of course, that meant as soon as Prorok was done and pulled out, Sendak was there to take his place, pushing the head of his cock in to act as a plug.

Feeling nails rake down his back was enough to bring Lance down from his daydreaming—temporarily, at least. He didn't know how bad the damage was to his back, but he swore he could feel blood lingering as he cried out and slammed his head against the counter below him in agony.

"There we go. No sleeping on me, you hear?" Sendak growled, letting his nails dig into Lance's sides while the other three watched his humiliation and pain.

Lance could only continue crying out as Sendak pushed his cock further in, pushing all the cum deeper inside in the process.

Either Lance had been completely out of it, or Sendak's cock was just that much larger than the other three as the stretch he caused sent new shockwaves of pain sparking through Lance's body. It was probably a little bit of both.

"Can't believe you can take so many cocks one after the other and still be this tight." Sendak moaned, nails sinking deeper into his ass. "It's just like the others said; you were built for this kind of thing."

Lance didn't even bother trying to argue against that logic in his head as Sendak wasted no time in fucking him, brutally opening his walls up and shaking his insides with his massive cock.

The pain radiating directly from his ass was much more subdued thanks to numbness, but Sendak's ruthless force caused his body to throb in pain from every nerve, and he could only squeeze more tears from his eyes and wait for the torture to be over.

While the initial pain of his nails had woken Lance up, his body was just too exhausted to keep up with whatever was happening to it, and he quickly began drifting back in between consciousness and unconsciousness, even with Sendak fucking him more violently than the other three combined. It was just a testament to how spent his body was.

At one point, Lance was certain he actually blacked out, but Haxus was quick to correct that with a slap across his face. Still, even when he was forced awake, he could barely feel Sendak's cock against his prostate, and the rest of the pain gnawing at his body hardly mattered to him. He just wanted it to be over already...he couldn't even feel bad for himself anymore.

Sendak's hips began crashing against his harder, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he was pretty sure the large man announced he was finishing. Instead of despairing in having a fourth cock releasing inside of him, though, he just rejoiced that this was the end. He didn't want Lotor to stop loving him, but his body felt so degraded and lifeless that he was beginning to wonder if this had been worth it...he knew that that was a crazy thought, because risking losing Lotor was out of the question, but he was weak and broken and his mind was susceptible to anything at this point.

As soon as Sendak pulled out of him, he let his body fall completely to the countertop, eyes widening a fraction at the realization that his cock was still hard. Even after all of that, and even though he could barely feel any of the sex that had just taken place, his cock had still remained hard. He would've been ashamed of himself if he wasn't just thankful that he could finally rest…

"Go ahead. Do it."

Lance glanced at the sound of Sendak speaking to Haxus, watching as the man approached with a pen-like tool in his hand. He had no clue what was going on, so he just stayed lifeless on the counter, resigned to his fate. 'It' couldn't be much worse than what had already happened to him, anyways.

As Haxus got closer, though, he felt nervousness budding in his chest, which quickly exploded into full on panic when he sat and crouched over Lance's ass.

Despite the ache in his body, Lance began trying to twist around to look, as if his body was telling him that now was an appropriate time to panic.

"W-wait." He somehow found his voice, though it was still just as weak as his body. "Wait...what are you…?"

He watched as Haxus began lowering the pen-like object towards his ass, thoroughly confused. Then, his eyes wandered to Sendak, where he was drawn to the massive tattoo on his face, and suddenly, he put everything together.

"No!" He screamed, thrashing and channeling all his panic and desperation into his ability to scream as Haxus pulled back. "No! P-please, don't do this! Please don't do this!" He managed to turn to Sendak, tears spilling over from his eyes all over again. This couldn't be worth it. He would have a permanent scar if he let them do this to him. "I-I'm begging you...please don't do it...I'm begging you...you can do anything else you want…"

They exchanged a quick glance before Sendak stared through him, void of sympathy. "I suggest you don't move, slut, otherwise it could hurt quite a lot."

Lance's face fell in despair as his hands shot forward to cover his mouth, tears flooding his face all over again. Then, as Haxus brought the pen to his ass once more, he hid his face in his palm and wept in grief for himself.

Sendak crouched down next to his ear. "This is what you get. You wanted to interact with people, remember? You asked him to let you interact with people? Well, this is what it means for you to interact with people. It means getting fucked, and used, and scarred, because that's all you're wanted for, dirty little slut." He leaned in closer, teeth grazing his ear. "This is your fault for being greedy."

Thanks to the resurgence of his panic, Lance was awake enough to hear every word Sendak said, but he couldn't respond. He could only sob into his hands as he felt the needle working along his ass.

He deserved this. They were right, and he knew it. This was all he was good for and all people wanted him for.

"Yes. We'll be done in an hour or so." Sendak said, and Lance slowly lifted his tear-stained face to look at the large man speaking into a phone. "Yes. He's practically out of it. You can pick your slut up then."

Lance stared for a long time, tears pausing momentarily as the wheels in his head spun. Just earlier, Sendak had mentioned him asking to interact with people, and unless his memory was wrong, which it could've been since he was still out of it, he was pretty sure he and Lotor never mentioned that...then, just now, he had called him 'your slut' to whoever was on the phone…

Maybe it was just the fact that his mind and heart were much too weak right now to have faith in anything, but more tears started spilling over his eyes than ever before, even after all the tiresome crying he'd already done, as he came to the realization that Lotor had set this up.

Sendak's words earlier about interacting with people hadn't been Sendak's words...those had been Lotor's words. This was Lance's punishment for talking to Keith…

His face collapsed in his arms, shock nauseating him as he choked and sobbed. It was Lotor...Lotor did this...Lotor did this...Lotor did this…

Lotor set all of this up.

It was all sinking in so quickly, and Lance's emotional state was in no condition to keep up as he felt icy claws of horror and betrayal crushing him from every side.

The mental strain of his revelation just tugged at his consciousness even more, putting his exhaustion back into the forefront of things. He could barely feel the needle against his ass, and even if he could, he couldn't move to do anything about it. He could only lie there in surrender as he received Lotor's punishment.

Naturally, time became an obscure blur all over again, and before he knew it, Haxus was stepping away with the pen at his side.

Sobbing wasn't something Lance had the strength to do anymore, so he just blinked through hazy eyes as Throk came around and showed him a picture on his phone.

There on his ass, in black letters that were so massive they took up the entire space on his ass, was the word 'SLUT'. The 'SL' was tattooed on one cheek while the 'UT' was on the other.

Something inside of Lance broke at the horrific sight, but he didn't cry, he didn't sob, and he didn't make a single noise—that was how he knew he was broken.

"That's your souvenir, so you always remember what you are. You're an official slut, now. Now come on." Sendak grabbed a fistful of Lance's hair, yanking him off the counter so his body collapsed against the floor lifelessly.

He was numb from the waist down, but the pain in his hair was still very much there. He couldn't do anything about it, though, so he just hung from Lotor's hand and let himself be dragged across the floor to the back of the bar, where Sendak opened the back door.

"Garbage belongs with garbage."

That was the only warning he got before he was tossed into several trash bags, body sprawling against them like a dropped egg. His limbs went in every direction, spilling out across the trash before he remained still, completely shattered and dead.

The night was even darker than before, and the moon just barely offered him enough light to see Sendak unzipping his pants before leaning over. Piss was suddenly flying all across Lance's bruised, naked body, covering him in the yellow, smelly liquid, and it was accompanied by the man's spit.

Lance made no attempt to protest, letting the urine drip down his chest as Sendak turned and slammed the door shut, and then, it was just him in the pile of garbage, swamped in sticky liquids both on the inside and outside, all by himself.

His body felt heavy like lead, and his head was no better as he dazedly managed to turn to look up at the moon.

He felt dead, in every sense of the word. His body was useless and dead, and his chest felt hollow and empty, lifeless—he couldn't think of a reason to be alive no matter how hard he tried. Granted, he couldn't think much right now period.

Before he could fall unconscious in the trash bags, though, he saw a figure coming into view, completely blackened in the dark of night. He knew immediately that it wasn't Lotor—he would recognize his silhouette anywhere—so it must've been someone else.

So many thoughts and emotions rushed him all at once, eating away at his brain. He couldn't handle all of it, his mind couldn't keep up; he was in no state to be forcing himself to think. At the end of the day, though, he was hurt, he was abandoned, and the only thing his mind could focus on was Sendak talking to Lotor, confirming that Lotor had set this up for him.

He made his choice, somehow raising his arm just a few inches, reaching out towards the approaching figure and shaking at the effort it took.

"Please…" He whispered, voice raspier than ever before. The damage to his body was really starting to sink in now. "Please help me…"

His arm dropped, losing the last of its strength as the silhouette got closer and closer...then, they appeared in the moonlight, revealing the face of an older man, probably somewhere in his late 30's, with pupils that were even more unfocused than Lance's were.

"The hell…?" He muttered, bending down towards Lance.

Despite the scent of trash and urine and sex all over him, Lance could somehow still make out the poignant stench latched onto the man before him; alcohol and smoke. No wonder his eyes were so unfocused.

"Wait…'slut'?" The man read the tattoo on Lance's ass, a smile spreading across his face, and suddenly, Lance felt his blood going cold.

Stammered chuckles began escaping the man as he reared up to fumble with his pants, much to Lance's disbelief. Again...it was going to happen to him again…

"I can't believe how lucky...I am!" He sneered between drunken hiccups. "They left their slut out...all alone...and now I get to use him! I'm so lucky...so lucky!"

The man clearly didn't care that they were on top of a bunch of trash bags, and Lance didn't care anymore, either; he just wanted to get away. He didn't want to have to do this again...but he had no choice in the matter as the man climbed on top of his body, clearly not bothered by the urine.

"First I'm gonna fuck you here…!" The man snorted, pulling his dick from his pants. "I'll fuck you here, then I'm gonna take you home with me...take you home to be mine…!"

His cock fell against Lance's inner thigh, and somehow, even though he could barely feel anything down there, he could just tell something wasn't right. Sheer adrenaline helped him build the strength to tilt his head upward, and what he saw immediately jolted him into spasming backward several inches.

"N-no!" He yelped, eyes widening at the sight of the man's bumpy cock.

Lance was understably rather well-versed when it came to anything sex-related, so he could tell with just a glance that if that bumpy cock entered him, his body would be infected with STD's that he could never get rid of.

The man just continued laughing drunkenly as Lance somehow found the desperate strength to throw his arms against the man's shoulders, pushing and fighting and sobbing all over again.

"Stop! Please!" Lance cried out. His voice was booming much louder than what he thought was possible, continuing to thrash against the man, but it was just useless flailing.

His weak struggles only seemed to turn the man on even more, which in turn increased his struggle.

"Please, don't do this! Please, I'm begging you! I don't want that! I don't want that in my body!" He slammed his fists against the other man's chest, tear ducts fully functional once more.

His bones felt like ancient, wet branches, getting weaker with every hit, and it only took a few seconds before he exhausted everything he had completely.

The man pressed his nose into Lance's neck, inhaling and rubbing his disgusting cock against his inner thigh harder.

"What? No more? Aren't you going to fight more? Ah...I love the sound of your voice...I love it when you fight back...hey! Come on, move some more!" He slapped Lance across the face, rattling his bones as if that would help him regain his strength.

Tears slipped down his chin, sullying his previously dried face as he went limp, surrendering to fate.

_This is it…_ His chest shook with the weight of a sob as the man positioned his cock at his hole. _It's over...just a ruined sex tool...that's what you are…_

His eyes squeezed shut as the man thrust forward, tainting his body forever with his infected cock…

...only, before he could enter Lance, he was suddenly lifted five feet in the air, dangling above Lance while lashing around in confusion.

At this point, Lance could only see through hazy, squinted eyes. He watched as limbs flew up violently and the drunk man was pulled away from his hole. Then, like a mirage of some sort, he just faded, replaced by a different looming figure.

Of course. Person after person would fight over him, but in the end, it didn't matter...they were all after the same thing. They all wanted him for the sex.

"Lance? Lance!"

He was quickly slipping from reality, the call of his name nothing more than a distant breeze. Distant or not, though, he still recognized it, and he managed to squeeze one eye open to watch as a familiarly worried face came into the moonlight.

"...mmn...Keith…?" Lance whispered the name so softly and weakly it might as well have just been a passing breath. He was certain he was just hallucinating the boy anyways, because why would Keith be here after everything that had happened? How would he even be here? Where even was 'here'?

He was so fucked up and he couldn't think clearly for even a second. Everything was suddenly fading between the line of reality and nightmare, and while that line had always been thin, he truly could no longer tell what was going on.

Even when he felt Keith crouching down to physically inspect him, he doubted his authenticity. If he was real, though, maybe he would just fuck Lance...just like everyone else. If that was the case, then so be it. Lance didn't have any say in it. He didn't have any say in anything.

He let his eyes fall shut, vaguely aware that his body was suddenly in the air, with a jacket blanketing him. It didn't make sense. Nothing was making sense.

The next time he was able to take in any sort of awareness about his surroundings, he was in the back of a car, back resting against leather seats; _familiar_ seats. The sound of a familiar engine roared to life, and Lance could make out the long black shape of a mullet resting against the driver's seat.

From there, fatigue took over him completely, leaving him in the hands of whoever had him. He had no nightmares that night.

His life was the nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **SUMMARY:** Basically, the four Galra gang men rape Lance while continuously degrading him and calling him a slut, and threatening to tell Lotor how he got hard behind Lotor's back if he doesn't cooperate with them. In case you're wondering, Lance got hard because his drink was spiked (this is never stated, so he doesn't know why he got hard still). Anyways, he's super exhausted after the brutality of it all and thinks it's over, but then they reveal there's more in store for him. They tattoo his ass with the word 'SLUT', with the 'SL' completely covering one cheek and the 'UT' completely covering the other, and Lance cries because it's a permanent scar. Sendak then calls someone on the phone saying they can come pick Lance up in about an hour, and Lance realizes that Lotor set this entire thing up as punishment for him. This entire time he went along with them because he didn't want Lotor to know he'd gotten hard behind his back, but Lotor had set this up from the beginning to punish him for talking to Keith. Naturally, this breaks Lance, and we get my personal favorite line of the chapter, "Something inside of Lance broke at the horrific sight, but he didn't cry, he didn't sob, and he didn't make a single noise—that was how he knew he was broken." ANYWAYS, Sendak then drags him out back and tosses him outside with the trash bags, stating that "garbage belongs with garbage". He then covers Lance in his urine and spit before he's left to rot with the trash until Lotor picks him up. A silhouette approaches and Lance manages to find the strength to reach out for help, broken and betrayed and abandoned because Lotor sold him out to get raped. When the silhouette comes into view beneath the moonlight, it's revealed to be an old, drunk man, who immediately sees Lance's 'SLUT' tattoo and gets excited. He prepares to fuck Lance right against the trash, and Lance just despairs that he has to go through this again until he sees the man's dick, which is bumpy. The man has an STD of some sort, and if Lance lets him fuck him, his body will be infected with it. He doesn't want that, so Lance fights back and cries and begs for the man not to do this to him, but of course the man just loves it when he begs and hits Lance. When Lance finally gives in and accepts his place as a broken sex tool, the man gets ready to enter him...but not before he's thrown off by yet another mysterious figure. Lance is sure it's just another man here to fuck him, but when he hears his name being shouted, he looks up and sees none other than Keith. He questions if it's just a hallucination, because why and how would Keith even be here, but he's too tired to do anything. He just fades in and out of consciousness as Keith picks him up, covers him in his jacket, and puts him in his car before taking off, away from that bar, away from Lotor. The last two lines of the chapter are also some of my favorites, which you can just quickly read above ^^
> 
> SO, YEAH, UH, THAT HAPPENED. Jesus this chapter went dark, but to be fair, there is literally a warning in the fanfic's description. At least he's not with Lotor anymore...but can Keith really keep him safe?


	11. You're Human

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is the next chapter! Yay!

Every second Keith spent on the road was another second for Lotor to torture Lance in some way, be it physically or emotionally; he let that thought sink into him over and over again, never letting his fire die out as he pulled into the Holt's driveway.

He didn't know what exactly he was after, but he knew that he needed some sort of plan to help Lance, and right now Katie was the only one who he hoped could help him. The entire family must've been asleep right now, but desperation and intuition told him to ignore that fact as he knocked on the front door, unable to stop his hands from shaking. Lotor's last text message was still very fresh in his head.

Not even ten seconds passed before the door opened, revealing a smaller version of Matt that must've been Katie.

He rose an eyebrow, momentarily forgetting his shaking.

"...you...answered the door pretty fast."

"Is that a problem?" She asked, eyes observing him while her arms crossed. When he didn't answer, she tilted her head down approvingly. "Didn't think so. So, are you here for Matt? I can go get him—wouldn't be the first time I woke him up late at night."

"Actually, I'm here for you." Keith cleared his throat, realizing he must've sounded pretty strange, and maybe straight up creepy.

Katie raised an eyebrow at him, but other than that, she showed no opposition, and even stepped back to invite him in.

Keith was taken aback at how conveniently things were going. He was pretty sure this wasn't how Katie should be reacting to a random guy showing up and asking for her.

"Um...you're willing to invite a strange man into your house just like that?"

Once again, she looked him over before shrugging. "It's whatever. If you try anything, I can probably kick your ass." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a needle that must've been filled with some strange sort of paralysis drug. The mere sight made Keith shiver.

"We can go up to my room if you really wanna talk." She lead the way upstairs, not even waiting for him to follow.

He shut the door behind him on his way in, since it seemed Katie wasn't concerned about it, before following her up to her room. This was already off to a much better start than he'd been expecting, which did help with his anxiety a little bit.

"Uh, thanks a lot, Katie."

"Call me Pidge." She ordered, sitting back on her bed as he tentatively entered her room. She had a lamp on a table that lit up the deep orange shades of the room, like sunsets painted on the walls, and there was a bookshelf against the back that was impressively well organized and neatly arranged. Keith didn't have time to take in the full aesthetic of her room, though, as classy as it was.

"Alright. Pidge. So…"

"What do you want?" She lifted a leg onto her bed so she could rest her chin on her knee, watching him curiously. "You must've come here for something."

Keith gulped and nodded, glad that she seemed better at getting to business than he was. Then again, he didn't really know how to bring this up to someone he didn't even know.

"Right. Well, I'm Keith. I'm a…" he paused. "...a...friend...of Lance's."

She nodded. "You're his boyfriend, I know."

Keith stumbled back a bit at the blunt statement, staring at the girl's unbothered face in shock. Surprise quickly turned to grief, however, and he found himself sitting opposite her on the bed, shoulders deflating.

"...maybe I was, once. But I'm not anymore. Lotor's back."

Pidge lifted her head in alarm. "He's back? So then that means...Lance is with him now?"

Keith nodded, teeth pressing together dejectedly. "Yeah. But if you know as much about Lotor as I do, you probably know why I'm here." He held her gaze, fists clenched. "I need you to tell me everything you know about Lotor."

Pidge's eyes traveled from side to side, as if she were collecting her thoughts or deciding how much to tell him, before she sighed.

"I'm aware of who Lotor is, but I'm sorry to tell you that I don't know all that much. When I first met Lance, Lotor was already out of the picture and had been for a while. I suppose that's something? He only really started talking to people a few months after Lotor mysteriously disappeared."

Keith did his best not to grumble in frustration, but it was hard when he wasn't getting any useful information. Luckily, Pidge wasn't done.

"Also...since you and him were around each other for a while, you probably noticed, but, Lance isn't exactly the most open person. He's sort of...always seemed kind of distant, just in general. And sometimes it feels like he forces himself to do things…" She trailed off, a faraway look in her eyes, and Keith suspected she wasn't even talking to him anymore for a second before she reeled it back in with a quick shake of her head. "What I'm trying to say is, a big part of who Lance is is because of Lotor, I'm sure of it. Nobody is just like that. Of course, that's not even factoring in the family issues…"

Keith's ears perked up at that, and he vaguely remembered Matt mentioning something about his sister having information about Lance's supposed family issues, but that wasn't his focus right now. Pidge was practically confirming that Lotor was dangerous for Lance, if his earlier text message hadn't already confirmed it, and that was only making his anxiety peak.

"Like I said...Lotor...he's back. He came back for Lance, and...oh god, what should we do?" His emotions began to slip out, getting the better of him as his breaths picked up, and he even felt tears prick at his eyes as he imagined Lotor scarring Lance even more than he already had. "Shit...I hate feeling useless…"

"Then be useful." Pidge suggested simply, leaning back against her headboard.

Keith was slightly taken aback by her bluntness, but he knew she was right. He didn't have time to get all emotional about it; he could do that after Lance was safe.

"Sorry," he apologized, rubbing at the corners of his eyes with his palm.

Pidge had her arms crossed now, watching as he worked to get ahold of himself. "So how much have you seen of Lotor? I've never even seen the guy outside of pictures, but I'm assuming he's a lot worse for Lance than you are."

Just being compared to that monster was almost enough to empty Keith's insides as he scrunched his face up.

"He's awful. The way he treats Lance is unforgivable. He fucked Lance on stage twice. _Twice_. And he hit him and...in front of all those men…" He sighed, resting his face in his hands just at the memory. "Then he caught Lance talking to me, and now it's my fault something bad might happen...especially after that last message…"

"What?" Pidge stood up suddenly, drawing Keith's attention to her alarmed face. "Let me see. What 'last message'?"

Keith wasted no time in digging for his phone, desperate for an ally in all this. Pidge seemed pretty reliable.

_After tonight, Lance will be gone, don't worry. But still...I'd watch my back if I were you._

She stared at the phone screen for a few seconds before her eyes narrowed angrily, as if she were about to slap Keith. Instead of any sort of violence, though, she ran to bring her laptop to the bed with her.

"Why didn't you mention any of this from the start?!"

Keith winced; one, because her tone of voice was incredibly harsh, and two, because her tone of voice was stressing him out even more.

"Is something wrong? What's going on?"

She grumbled while typing into her laptop. "Well I don't _know_ what's going on. All I know is that that was a blatant threat and Lance could be in danger. I can track his phone and find out where they are."

Keith rose an eyebrow at that, but he only had about a second of spare time to waste being shocked before he scooted closer to look at her laptop screen.

"Do it." If he couldn't do anything, he at least needed to know if Lance was somewhere safe.

Pidge stopped typing momentarily to look up at him, unimpressed. "I wasn't asking permission."

In just a few more clicks, the screen began zoning in on the position of Lance's phone, leaving both of them watching with bated breath.

"It's...some sort of weird bar, next to another bar. Strange; if it's alcohol Lotor wanted, they could easily just be drinking at the Web. It's possible he's just picky about what he consumes, but I don't see super high ratings for either of these places." Pidge observed.

Keith chewed on his bottom lip, unable to keep his toes from shuffling and tightening in a constant fit of motion.

"Should I...go see if he's okay? I mean, just in case...we never know what could be happening."

"It's your call." Pidge shrugged, although the lines beneath her eyes clearly gave away that she was more stressed about this than she was letting on. "Don't you think that's a little stalkerish, though? Just going after him and—"

"Aren't you the one with a tracker on his phone?" Keith pointed out, eyes never leaving the screen for longer than a second. He didn't need to as Pidge just rose an eyebrow before following his eyes back to her screen.

"Eh. Fair point."

Keith didn't get a straight answer, so he ended up just waiting and watching. He couldn't sit still and ended up pacing back and forth in the room while Pidge glared at him judgmentally. He always found himself dropping back by her side to stare at the screen, though. "They haven't moved? Not even once?"

Pidge's eyes were narrowed, chin resting against her fingers as the light of the screen made her glasses light up. "No. Not once."

Keith gulped, eyes drifting from the dot on the screen to Pidge and back again as sweat fell down his forehead. That bad feeling from earlier hadn't disappeared one bit. In fact, it had only grown—especially now that he knew Lance was at a bar and apparently had been for a while. He could only stand by for so long until…

"That's it. I have to go see for myself." Keith decided, pressing a hand to his chest to try and slow down his pounding heart. Before he could walk out, however, Pidge stood up.

"Wait."

He turned on her, eyes wide and strained in the reflection of her glasses, but instead of stopping him, she just took out her own phone.

"Give me your number. That way you can have the address on your phone, and I can text you if the situation changes."

Keith pursed his lips together, but didn't argue. This would be much easier if he wasn't alone.

They exchanged numbers quickly before Keith was immediately out the door, rushing to leave the Holt's house as quickly as he'd rushed to get there. He thought he heard Pidge whisper a "good luck" on his way out.

His fist was tight around Red's steering wheel as he sped down the road, praying that the ugly feeling in his gut was just from stress. Praying that his intuition was wrong for once.

Most of all, though, he just prayed that nothing bad would happen to Lance, and that if something was happening, he would make it there in time to prevent it.

***

By the time he parked near the two bars, his anxiety had expanded into a bottomless pit of dread. He didn't have a plan, and Pidge didn't give him one since he had been the one to make the decision to go find Lance. He was only here to make sure Lance was okay, anyways, so a plan probably wasn't necessary.

Before he could barge into the bar, his phone buzzed with a text message from Pidge.

**Pidge** : Be careful. That text message you showed me told you to watch your back, too, so in case you can't do the math, that means he was threatening both of you. Don't be an idiot. You can't help anyone if you're hurt.

As belittling as her words were, Keith found some comfort in the stern reminder. He was quickly discovering that Pidge was right about most things.

He silenced his phone and slowly approached the bar door, pressing his face against it to hear voices and laughter. There were curtained windows that showed light, but Keith didn't even want to try looking in, cautious of being caught. He felt like some detective in a movie or something, adrenaline on an all time high as he opened the door as quietly as he could. The longer he waited the worse things could be.

The inside of the bar looked about the same as any other stereotypical bar, with the majority of the population being crowds of men sitting together, roaring with laughter and spilling beer over the sides of their cups. There was a shady group of younger-looking guys in a corner whispering to each other, but Keith only spared them a quick glance. They almost looked like a young gang, and that wasn't something Keith wanted to have to see right now.

He scanned the bar counter, still cautiously backed up against the door just in case. Lance would look pretty small in comparison to all the men here, so he focused on the different body structures in the room to see if he could find Lance; instead, he ended up spotting that long, white hair that was impossible to miss.

Heat began clouding his head just at the sight of Lotor drinking and smirking at the men sitting next to him, but Keith held his muscles tight. He wasn't here for Lotor—he was here for Lance.

Keith didn't know much about Lotor, but from what he could tell, the dude was a possessive maniac who didn't even let Lance talk to other people. If that was the case, Lance probably wouldn't be far from him...but even as Keith walked farther in to look for Lance, he couldn't find any trace of him. That was when the worst case scenario hit him; if Lotor had sent him that last text, then Lotor probably had the phone, and that was why the tracker sent him here. It had sent him to Lotor.

So then...where was Lance?

His heart was pumping fearfully again, and he had to clutch his chest to try and calm himself down as he looked over the room one last time before slowly backing out back into the night. A part of him wanted to just run up to Lotor and strangle him until he told him what he did with Lance, but he didn't want to put Lance in even more danger than he could already be in. He had to keep playing detective.

He wouldn't put it past Lotor to want to punish Lance for doing literally nothing wrong, and while he didn't know what exactly 'punish' meant, he associated it with danger, and he associated danger with the empty, abandoned bar next to the one Lotor had been in. He didn't know how much sense it made to check there, but desperation moved his limbs as he ran over to the other building.

The outside of it alone made it significantly less energetic than its neighbor bar, and Keith found goosebumps running up his arms—although he wasn't sure if it was from the creepy atmosphere of the bar or if it was because of his own anxiety.

His muscles were already tense, and like a cat ready to pounce, he was ready to go ballistic if he saw Lance in any kind of danger.

When he reached the front door, though, he quickly found that it was locked and wouldn't budge for him no matter how hard he prodded it. Granted, he didn't ram against it or anything, since he was still trying to stay under the radar.

He tried twisting the knob four or five times before throwing his arms up in frustration, seized by a sudden desire to scream. Breathing was becoming harder and harder, and his chest was a hot mess as thousands of emotions struggled to come through all at once. In the end, he could only stare at the door hopelessly while fighting to prevent himself from breaking down.

The thought that he was wasting time was the only thing that managed to move him as he headed back towards his car with his phone out, chewing the skin off of his bottom lip and typing furiously to Pidge in hopes of soothing his nerves. And then, that was when he heard the scream, bursting out of nowhere in the night with desperation and exhaustion.

"Stop! Please!"

Keith's body moved faster than his brain as he bolted in the direction of that piercing sound, heart bleeding just from hearing it. Within seconds, he rounded the corner of the bar and was suddenly gazing upon the sight of a half-naked man crouched over what appeared to be a dead body, which was disturbing in itself, but the truth of the situation was even more disturbing to Keith as he stomped forward with red clouding his vision.

None of them had time to comprehend what was happening as Keith yanked the man back and up off the ground, immediately casting the light of the moon down on his helpless target. Keith felt something inside him snap at the sight.

"You sick fuck!" He growled, slamming the man against the ground several feet away and rendering him seemingly comatose. It could've been from the force behind Keith's throw or his already drunk brain, or both. Keith didn't care.

"Oh god...Lance? Lance!"

He knelt down next to Lance's lifeless body, vision already blurring over in tears. He couldn't see Lance either way; he was too busy bending down to make sure he was still alive, and when he felt Lance breathing, it was like he could finally breathe, too.

"Oh god, Lance...I'm so—" Shock cut him off as his eyes trailed down Lance's body, and the further down he looked, the worse things became.

First there was his hair and face, completely disheveled and uncharacteristically unkempt with dried and recent tears, and his eyes...they were just slits, but they were so devoid of life. Then there was his chest, which was covered in what seemed to be urine that continued covering the rest of his stomach down to his limp legs. But worst of all was that _disgusting_ word embedded on Lance's bottom in large, bold letters. 'SLUT'. Keith could already guess some of what had happened, and the mess pooling beneath Lance only confirmed and fueled the inferno in his stomach.

That would come later, though. For now, he bent down and quickly covered Lance in his jacket, reaching behind his knees and neck to pick him up. His heart clenched at the way Lance's body just dangled in his arms, and only when he heard his name slip from Lance's mouth did he notice the heavy flood of tears rushing down his own chin.

"Lance...just...just hang on…" He swallowed hard, tasting the saltiness of his own tears as he hurried back to his car as quickly as he could while trying to keep Lance stable and comfortable in his arms. It felt like the body would just blow away in the wind, like a leaf, if he didn't hold tightly enough.

As soon as he had Lance secure in his back seat, he sped down the road, stiffly wiping his eyes with his arm.

He expected the drive to feel long, so that he had a longer time to drown in his regrets, but it seemed like he hadn't even had a chance to blink yet before he was already parked in front of the house.

"Come on," he whispered in both a gentle yet hoarse voice, delicately lifting Lance in his arms and kicking at the door to knock. He was far past the point of caring about how late it was.

He didn't even have time to impatiently kick a second time as the door opened to reveal Shiro.

"Keith, you're home! I—" All train of thought drained from Shiro's eyes as he saw Lance knocked out in Keith's arms, head twisted unnaturally with bruises and dry liquids covering him.

"Shiro…" Keith whimpered, unsuccessfully trying to manage his shaking voice. "Shiro, please…"

"Come inside." Shiro nodded without hesitation, stepping aside so Keith could hurry in. "The guest room. Go."

Keith didn't need to be told twice as he brought Lance to Shiro's guest room and set him down in the unmade bed, immediately rolling the blankets over him and adjusting his head on the pillows. Tears were falling down his face all over again, but it wasn't just in fear anymore. The sight of Lance in one of Shiro's beds had Keith crumbling in relief, and he had to pull a chair over to sit next to the bedside so he didn't just fall over.

"Lance...I'm so sorry…" He wrapped both hands around one of Lance's, burying his face into the bed beside him.

He looked so vulnerable beneath the blanket, like the life was gone from his body. Keith could only sit beside him, grieving as if he really was gone.

Shiro stood in the doorway, watching him, but Keith paid no attention to him. He just squeezed Lance's hand, shaking and praying to take away some of his pain in his sleep.

***~Lance~***

Pain. That was the first thing running through Lance's mind and the first thing grasping his body as his eyes slowly parted open to reveal an unfamiliar room.

The muscles in his face strained and tightened in pain just from him trying to open his eyes more, but he somehow managed to glance down at the weight against his waist to see a clump of black hair resting by his side.

Confusion lingered for just a few more moments before Lance's entire body ignited in panic, and he was immediately scrambling to get away—only, the best he could do was push off the bed with enough force to lift his legs before he was crying out in pain, falling back against the mattress helplessly.

Keith's head shot up as soon as his voice escaped him, sending Lance into shock. His muscles froze, not that they were working in the first place, and his chest started to heave with painful puffs of air as Keith's eyes fell on him.

"W-what's going on?" Lance croaked, whimpering from the back of his throat. Just _shaking_ was making his body ache. "Where am I?"

"Lance...hey, it's okay, it's okay. Breathe. It's me, Keith. I found you last night and...hey, it's okay."

He squeezed Lance's hand as Lance's eyes continued flickering around the room. The sleep in his muscles was quickly being replaced by ache, which only allowed him to feel hands grabbing at him from every direction all over again. Almost immediately, his heart leaped into his throat, and new tears began chasing the old.

"Oh god...I…!" He tried moving his hands up to cover his mouth, but the simple action sent electricity dancing up his nerves, leaving him falling back and crying out in helpless pain.

"Lance! Hey...it's okay! Listen...it's okay, I know...I'm here for you now, okay? You don't have to go back there, I'm here…"

Lance whimpered through the pain of shaking his head, cowering and sinking down away from Keith with tears spilling.

"Stop...stop…! Please stop…" He whispered scratchily, unable to stop his trembling. He could still feel it...hands all over him...he could feel his body being completely covered and marked and humiliated.

"Lance…" Keith scooted closer. "Lance, I promise, you're saf—"

"Stop!" Lance cried out, thrashing in an attempt to free his hand from Keith's hand, but he could only yank with the force of a child before he felt like his arm was being pulled from his body, rendering him a weeping mess in his pillow.

He just wanted to get away...he just wanted for it to all be over...he didn't want to be used anymore, he was so tired of getting hurt but now he was just going to be used again…

"Lance, please, I promise you're safe!"

"Just do it!" Lance cried, going limp against the bed, forgetting the prospect of fighting back. "Whatever you're going to do...j-just do it...and get it over with…" A part of him hadn't yet registered that it was Keith he was here with, and another part of him didn't see how that made any difference as he peeked at Keith through soulless eyes, resigned to his fate.

"...I just want to help you." Keith whispered, but Lance could only hear lies as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"...stop...please...I just…" He didn't know what he was trying to say, and he didn't know what he even _wanted_ to say. When he felt the bed dip from Keith's weight as he joined Lance on the bed, though, all he could think was, _I knew it_.

Instead of tossing the blanket from Lance's defenseless body, though, Keith wrapped his arms around him and pulled him towards him in a gentle sort of hug.

Lance blinked his eyes open in slits, shivering in Keith's lap as the other spoke to him softly.

"I'm so sorry, Lance. I am. I'm sorry...I don't know what you went through last night...but you're safe now. You're safe here. I promise. I won't hurt you, Lance...please, I want to help…"

The tone of Keith's voice was familiar and yet so unfamiliar simply because he hadn't heard it in what seemed like so long. He longed for it...had forgotten how it made his insides spin...but he could only lean his head against Keith's chest and sob.

"You don't want to help me...you don't even know me…"

Keith cradled Lance closer to him, adjusting to keep him comfortable as they made eye contact, and his eyes fell open a little wider when he saw tears slipping down Keith's cheeks, too.

"...you're right, I don't know what you've gone through in life, but I promise you're safe...okay? I promise I want to help you, Lance. No matter what."

Lance couldn't roll away from Keith and didn't even know if he wanted to, so he just leaned against him more with each word as his sobs shook painfully throughout his entire body.

"That doesn't make sense...please, you don't need to pretend…"

"Lance…" Keith held him even tighter. "I know what it's like to be in a dark place alone...I don't want that for you. I don't want to see you like this. You don't have to be scared...let me protect you."

They scooted back towards the headboard of the bed more as Lance fought the pain and curled up more in Keith's lap.

"Do you remember what I said back at the Web, Lance? I want to understand you...I want to be here for you...I know you're scared, but please let me keep you safe now…"

Lance leaned his head back so they could make eye contact again, and as soon as they did, he crumbled against Keith's chest in a mess of raspy tears, unable to stop his broken voice from escaping him in hiccups. His body throbbed, and his insides throbbed, and he honestly didn't even feel alive. Only Keith's body warmth gave him a sense of life.

"You won't want to help me...not when you've seen me...I can't do anything...I can only be used for other men...that's it, Keith. That's the one thing I can do…"

He turned his face down into Keith's stomach, cuddling forward in search of more warmth as Keith helped guide him.

"...you made me happy on our dates together, Lance. Just by being yourself."

Lance slowly looked up at Keith, nose still buried against him.

"I liked spending time with you, racing and going out, because I liked you." Keith's hand cupped Lance's face gently. "You're more than whatever Lotor or anyone else says. You deserve more."

His lower half began vibrating in particularly intense pain at that moment, causing Lance to whimper and cling to Keith.

"But...it's there...it says 'slut'...right on my...Keith, it's right there…that's all I am..."

"You're wrong." Keith answered quickly, voice steady with conviction. "That doesn't mean a thing about _you_. You have fun racing. You know all the best shops at the mall. You like music and you can play the guitar."

Lance was shaking even harder now and he didn't quite know why as Keith's hand tilted his face around to look at him more.

"You're not a 'slut'. Okay? I'm here for you, I promise...shhh…" His thumbs gently wiped at Lance's tears, and he rocked back and forth gently enough so as not to cause any pain.

Lance couldn't believe what he was hearing no matter what, squeaking and crying and burrowing against Keith frantically.

Lotor didn't love him. Lotor left him for the gang to rape because he was just a tool...Lotor just left him. And if Lotor didn't love him, no one could love him...no one could want to help him...but even though he was sure that he was beyond the point of help, he could literally feel the cracks inside of him, and he was in desperate need of comfort, so he clung to Keith like a lifeline.

He wanted to believe the other boy, he really did...but he could still hear Lotor whispering in his head. He knew this was impossible...but he went along with it, because he didn't want to hurt anymore.

After a few minutes, he finally cried out everything he had to cry, for now, and just curled against Keith's chest like a lifeless corpse.

"...hey." Keith spoke again after having fallen silent to let Lance cry. "I promise I'm here for you...yeah? You don't have to rush anything. You don't have to tell me anything right away or rush to heal, just take your time, and I'll still be here, yeah?"

Lance was sure that, in the end, he would just be used again...but he nodded anyways. What Keith was suggesting sounded magical…

They were interrupted as another, much larger man entered the room, and the moment Lance saw him, he found himself whimpering and clawing at Keith's shirt in an attempt to get closer to him.

"Hey, hey! It's okay!" Keith urged, readjusting his arms around Lance to make up for his shuffling.

Lance squeaked again, but slowly managed to turn his head when Keith gestured for him to.

"Lance, this is Shiro. We're actually in his house right now. Shiro's a TA at my school, and he's the kindest person you'll ever meet, I promise. Don't be scared." He whispered the last part.

Shiro made no move to get any closer, smiling softly and nodding at Lance, who was observing him again. He looked pretty scary...not because of his prosthetic arm, but because he was very large, just like Sendak. His face did look pretty kind, though, so Lance gave him a small nod back before twisting back around to hug Keith, wincing in pain.

"There's a warm bath waiting in the bathroom. I'll fix the bedsheets in the meantime while you clean up, then it's straight back to resting. Understood?" Shiro ordered.

Keith glanced down at Lance, as if asking him for confirmation, but Lance just stared back at him. It wasn't his choice to make, after all. He would do whatever they wanted him to.

"Whatever you say, Shiro. Come on. Can you walk on your own?"

Lance's brows furrowed a little as he looked down, trying to move his legs from Keith, only to end up whining in pain and clinging to him again.

"I...I can't do it…" He bit his trembling lower lip, tears welling up in his eyes again. "I'm sorry...I can't do it a-alone…"

"Yeah, it's okay. Here." Keith gently lifted Lance up, not needing to do much adjusting since he had already been in his arms before. "Tell me if it hurts."

Lance rested his head against Keith, barely even able to feel his own body.

Keith and Shiro gave each other nods of acknowledgement as they passed by before he brought Lance into their bathroom, where there was indeed a bathtub filled with water.

The moment he was lowered into the tub, he could feel the warm water soothing his aching muscles and soaking the grime off of his filthy body.

"Don't leave me," Lance said quickly, sinking into the water and looking up at Keith with large, pleading eyes. "Please...I don't want to be alone…"

He felt so pathetic, and he knew he had no right to be asking Keith to do any more for him, but he spoke anyways, shaking just at the thought of being left alone.

Keith reached down into the water to hold his hand. "I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. I won't leave you for a second. Just speak up if anything hurts a lot, okay?"

Lance squeezed his eyes shut and gave a small nod. All he could do was believe Keith.

They sat in silence for a while as Lance let his body soak in the tub before he let his head fall forward.

"Um...thank you...I know this is probably troublesome, so...if you want to know what happened to me last night, I'll tell you." Keith deserved at least that much from Lance. He had taken him in and was now dealing with him even though he was such a burden, and it was possible he was still just waiting to reveal what he wanted in return, but Lance figured he was at least obligated to tell Keith what happened and why he was like this right now.

"You don't have to say anything if you're not ready," Keith assured, moving their hands together beneath the water. "You don't have to say anything...but I'll listen if you really want to."

Lance didn't really want to, but he gathered his scrambled thoughts to speak anyways.

"Okay...it was because...because I told Lotor that I wanted to talk to people...so he brought me to that bar...but then...it was just a punishment, and…" He had to pause to sniffle, already reliving the events as he quickly retold them. "The men at the bar...they told me Lotor wouldn't love me if I didn't do as they said...so then they…"

Keith reached into the water with his other hand, squeezing Lance's tighter when his voice broke off into a quiet sob. "Lance, it's okay...I get it. It's okay, you don't have to say any more."

Lance was back to being a crying mess as his throbbing limbs gave him constant reminders of last night, and even with Keith talking and holding onto him, he couldn't shake off the shame.

"I didn't want to...Keith, I didn't want to, b-but they…!"

"Hey, it's okay...it's okay. None of it was your fault, okay? It was all them...what they did was horrible, and...I'm so sorry. I am, Lance. But you never have to go back there again, okay?"

Keith flashed him a reassuring smile, and in that moment, even more than before, Lance desperately wanted to believe in Keith. He wanted to believe in that smile. But it was like he was being physically held back as the ache in his muscles spread to his heart.

"B-but...it's right there, Keith...they put it on me…'slut'..." He tried moving to touch his backside, where the tattoo was, but the movement was more painful than it was worth. "It _was_ my fault...it's because my body...I…" He was suddenly afraid to talk, afraid that Keith would grow disgusted with him if he wasn't already.

"Lance...that thing that they put on you, it doesn't mean anything. The things they said, and the things Lotor said, they don't mean anything, either. They've just been lying and manipulating you...but _you_ get to decide what the truth is. Who you are and who you want to be is _your_ choice."

There was no way Keith actually knew anything Lotor ever said to Lance, but yet, he spoke with complete confidence as his thumb rubbed over Lance's knuckles soothingly, melting Lance's insides.

"Who do _you_ want to be, Lance? That's the only thing that matters."

Lance bit his lower lip, shaking his head as much as he could. "I...I don't know...I can't. I can't be anything...they said I was just a slut…" He looked up at Keith with frantic eyes, because even though his words rang like bells in Lance's chest, he couldn't comprehend them.

Keith's smile cracked a bit, but he didn't show any sign of annoyance as he reached for a nearby towel. "You don't have to rush yourself, okay? Healing takes time; it's a process. Just know that me and Shiro will be here for you every step of the way." He dipped the towel into the water, but held Lance's gaze. "So take as long as you need, because you aren't alone, Lance. Okay?"

Lance nodded as if on reflex, and he could feel warmth invading his chest and spreading up to his face. He didn't know what to think or believe anymore...but he did know that he _wanted_ to believe Keith. And he wanted to believe that, maybe, if Keith was telling the truth, if he really did stick by Lance...then maybe he could get better.

"...thank you," he whispered, eyes falling back down.

They fell silent for a few seconds again before Keith grabbed some soap and poured it on the soaked towel.

"We should get you cleaned up—you'll feel better. Do you need me to do it, or…?"

Lance tried lifting his arms a bit, but ended up biting back a squeak of pain. Predictable.

Keith got the message and began gently pressing the towel to Lance's shoulder, scrubbing. He didn't complain, and nothing on his face showed that this was a burden for him, but Lance couldn't imagine this was what he wanted to be doing right now.

"...I'm sorry…" Lance muttered. He didn't deserve this much good treatment, even if it was just a ploy.

"You don't have to apologize. Here." Keith reached over to scrub at his chest, stained with Sendak's urine. "You know, I got this lavender-scented soap for Shiro for his birthday, but he never uses it. I can't imagine why. Doesn't it smell nice?"

Lance subconsciously inhaled the aroma of the lavender soap, observing all the bubbles forming around him. He hadn't noticed when Keith had applied the soap to the water. Something about being in a bubble bath had Lance's lips curling up, just a little. "Yeah. It does smell nice."

"That's a relief. I'm glad someone thinks so." Keith continued as he brought the wet towel down Lance's arm with just enough pressure to properly wash him without causing too much pain.

Between the casual talk and his gentle care, Lance found his heart swelling in a very familiar fashion; one that was very specific to Keith. Only Keith made him feel like this.

As he began getting lower down Lance's body, he began scrubbing with more hesitation.

"Hey, uh...did you want to try to wash down there? Or...are you okay with me doing it? Sorry if I'm too rough, by the way..."

Lance shook his head. "You're not too rough...and...I don't think I can…"

Keith nodded in understanding, bringing the towel down the side of Lance's leg. "Alright. If you want me to stop, just yell at me and I will."

Soapy water shimmered on most of Lance's upper body now, and he could only marvel at how much cleaner he was already feeling.

Shiro poked his head into the bathroom out of nowhere, and Lance found himself immediately reaching to hold Keith's wrist. The man's eyes weren't on him at all, but it still made him feel better to be holding Keith.

"All we've got for breakfast is leftover pizza from last night, so I hope that's okay with you two. I'll heat it up right now, how does that sound?"

Keith nodded without turning around, still focused on cleaning Lance, and that was all the indication Shiro needed before leaving them.

"Shiro can't cook to save his life," Keith informed him with a grin.

Somehow, that simple line helped Lance relax a little as he stared at the spot Shiro had been earlier. It was humanizing, in a way.

When Keith finished wiping down his body, he turned his attention to Lance's hair, running his fingers through the normally-well-combed locks, disturbed.

"They...um...pulled a lot…" Lance muttered.

A dangerous glint flared up in Keith's pupils, but it only lasted for a moment before he seemingly willed it away. "Okay, one second."

He turned the shower on so he could gently wash Lance's hair, smoothing it out and rubbing shampoo into it before letting the rest of Lance's body get a quick wash down. Once they were done, he unplugged the tub to let it drain and dipped his elbows into the water to lift Lance up.

Lance frowned and hung his head as water dripped from his body all over Keith. "I...I'm getting you wet...I'm sorry…"

Keith blinked in surprise before bringing Lance closer to his body, getting more water on his clothes and causing Lance to gasp while Keith just chuckled. "I don't mind. Come on, we should get you dressed. Uh...Shiro!"

"Clothes are in the room!" Shiro shouted back from elsewhere in the house, as if reading Keith's mind. "And have his mouth cleaned, first, too!"

Lance did his best not to lean towards Keith, not wanting to get him too wet even if he didn't seem to mind as they entered the room he'd woken up in. The bed had been made completely anew, and there were two towels on the mattress with a bundle of clothes right next to them.

Keith set him down on one towel before picking up the other to dry him. After that came the clothes, which Keith slid onto his body only after getting permission multiple times. Everything he did, he did with utmost gentleness, until Lance was fully cleaned and dressed. They then made another trip to the bathroom, where Keith fumbled around for mouth wash that Lance could only stand to have in his mouth for a few seconds. It stung the inside of his mouth, but it certainly helped wash out the tangy taste of morning breath, not to mention the excess musk from having a dick in his mouth last night.

"Alright. Ready to head to the kitchen?"

Lance nodded, immediately leaning his head towards Keith's chest as he was picked up once more. Before they left the room, though, they both tilted their heads to look at each other at the exact same time, causing them both to freeze.

He'd never noticed it much before, but Keith's eyes were breathtakingly pretty up close. They were some mix between a smoky violet and dark grey—he wasn't sure. Whatever color they were, though, they were unlike any other pair of eyes he'd ever seen. And then, of course, there was that emotion in them that had confused Lance for so long when they'd first met...that constant look of concern and consideration for Lance.

He found himself drawing closer to Keith—no, Keith was lifting him up towards him...and Lance had no complaints. His cheeks grew hotter, and his eyes began fluttering shut, zeroed in on Keith's soft-looking lips until…

"Hey! I'll have to reheat the pizza all over again if you two don't come soon!" Shiro's voice sounded throughout the house, immediately tearing their faces away from each other.

Lance's cheeks flushed with heat as he curled into himself in Keith's arms more, suddenly trying to ignore how gentle Keith felt, holding him up as if he was so delicate.

That's right—there was a reason he and Keith had been a thing before Lotor came back…Keith was so strange, in a way that made Lance's heart race. He couldn't predict or understand the other boy—the most he knew was that Keith acted as if he truly cared about Lance above himself even though he knew nothing about Lance.

No, it was _because_ he knew nothing about Lance. Because if he did...if he truly knew how hopeless Lance was, he wouldn't be like this. He wouldn't treat Lance like this.

Lance let that sink in all over again as Keith cleared his throat to shake the red from his cheeks.

"Let's go, shall we?" He suggested, carrying Lance through the bedroom hallway and a living room to the kitchen.

"There you are!" Shiro exclaimed, already setting down plates of pizza that were clearly meant for them. "I was beginning to fear that you'd fallen asleep again! Which is fine, since you should be resting, but, I'd hate to have to reheat the pizza, and you need to eat, so...maybe sleep after breakfast!"

All morning, Shiro had been off putting to Lance due to his size, but he couldn't help but smile at his awkward attempts at being classy. It was sort of endearing. Usually, men of Shiro's size only spoke to Lance in gruff voices and bossed him around and tossed money all over his naked body, so there was something amusing about seeing someone like Shiro act awkward.

"Here," Keith offered, sitting down with Lance on his lap. He grabbed a slice of pizza for him, but Lance found himself cowering away into Keith's chest.

He felt like he hadn't eaten in days, which was rare for him since he was trained to not be too bothered by hunger, but everything in his body must've been hyper sensitive right now, because his stomach was aching from the inside out. Still, one look at the oily pizza had him cringing away into Keith's body more.

"I'm...um, not hungry."

Keith frowned, trying to hand him the pizza. "Lance, you have to eat. You can't get better if you don't eat."

He looked up at Keith before turning his face into Keith's chest, shying away from the hand with the pizza. "Is...is there anything else I can eat? I don't feel so good, so...I don't want to eat anything too junky…"

Keith exchanged a look with Shiro before the taller man brought a banana over from a counter, peeling it and leaning down for Lance to take it.

"...thank you…" Lance bowed his head a bit, accepting the yellow fruit from Shiro, who suddenly didn't seem as scary to him anymore, before resting his head against Keith's shoulder again. He could eat a banana.

His muscles were feeling much more relaxed after that warm bath, and though it still sent waves of pain through his nerves when he tried moving too much, he could at least raise the banana to his mouth if he took it slow and steady.

"Hey, does this count as another date? I mean, we're technically eating together…" Keith mused, biting into his slice of pizza.

Lance's lips curled up at that as he squeezed his eyes shut. He remembered going on dates with Keith...he remembered being able to just focus on having fun together. He missed it…

"Maybe. I don't know if it counts as a date if you're just taking care of me the whole time, though…" He laughed lightly, still only nibbling at the banana.

Despite his hesitancy to eat, he could feel his chest swelling with genuine cheer. He was glad Keith was trying to lighten the mood. All the bad stuff, the dark thoughts and memories and nightmares, all of it would eventually catch up to Lance, and he would be forced to drown again...but for now, he just wanted to hold onto his lifeline; he just wanted to breathe with Keith. So, that was exactly what he did. He took deep breaths and rested against Keith's body as Keith and Shiro talked.

"Alright, well, I'll be around the house, then," Shiro said, drying his hands off with a towel. "Oh, and…" He crouched down again, locking eyes with Lance. "I don't know your full story, and I don't need to know...but just know that you're safe here. If anyone makes you feel threatened while in my house, they'll answer to this." He raised his prosthetic arm, which Lance had noticed but had completely dismissed.

"Shiro's robot arm has a crazy strong grip," Keith informed, as if trying to reassure Lance that he was safe. "And I've also taken self-defense classes. It's helpful when I'm a top racer with dozens of enemies who hate me, after all. But anyways, point being, I'll protect you, too."

Lance's lips curled up into a weak smile, which was strong by his standards. He wasn't sure how he could forget that Keith was a racer…and just remembering that brought back a rush of fun memories.

"...thank you…I don't deserve this..." He whispered for what must've been the thousandth time that day, resting his cheek against Keith's chest once more and turning to look at Shiro. "Your arm is cool."

Shiro lifted it more to show it off, smiling at the compliment. "Thank you. It can be pretty _hand_ y at times."

"Shiro, stop." Keith ordered, rolling his eyes.

Lance couldn't stop himself from laughing, even as he felt Keith cringing against him—Shiro was clearly very pleased with both of their reactions.

"Anyways, if either of you need anything, just shout for me," Shiro said, disappearing into the hallway and leaving them alone together.

Lance's heart warmed as he watched Shiro go. He was still on alert, but on the surface, what he saw was two people who were genuinely trying to be there for him...of course, he knew this could all very well be a ploy and that they could have something planned for him, but he almost didn't care. He was smiling right now, and that was more than he ever thought he would be able to do after last night. Besides, this stirring in his chest when he was with Keith was familiar...and comforting.

"Hey, glad to see you managed to eat. You feeling okay, still?" Keith asked.

Lance looked down at his hands, shocked to find that he had indeed eaten most of the banana. He hadn't even realized—he'd been too busy talking and laughing with Keith and Shiro to pay attention to his nibbling.

"I...I'm okay. Um...is this good enough?"

Keith's brows furrowed silently for a second before he slowly nodded. "...yeah. If you think it is."

Lance took that as a 'yes' and set the remains of the banana peel on the table as Keith grinned down at him.

"So, what did you want to do? We could watch cartoons in bed all day?" Keith suggested, gently lifting Lance with him as he stood and walked them back to the bedroom. "I've heard about this super cool one called 'Voltron', it's supposedly pretty popular. What do you think?"

Lance managed to default to a smile. "I don't know it. That sounds fun."

Keith gently set him down on the bed before pulling his laptop and blankets over, setting up the perfect little spot for them. "Voltron it is!"

Once the pillows were set up behind them to Keith's liking, he pulled Lance close to his stomach again, and Lance immediately snuggled his back up against Keith's chest while the show was brought up on the laptop screen.

He felt so cozy and secure in between Keith's legs like this, snuggled up against him, like he was surrounded by comfort and warmth. It made his skin dance with electricity, and he just kept scooting back more, getting as comfortable as possible with Keith. They were cuddling like a genuine couple, and there was something so wonderfully domestic about it that made it impossible for Lance to pull away, not wanting to be separated from Keith for even a second. Keith didn't pull away, either, so that was a good sign.

"Alright, the first episode is like an hour long, so bear with me," Keith said, covering them in the blanket and smoothing it out around them to make sure Lance was even more warm and comfortable.

He turned his face around to nuzzle his nose into Keith's chest, unable to stop a larger smile from spreading across his face. "Thank you Keith…"

Keith's body stiffened as Lance glanced up at him to show him his smile, face reddening when he saw Keith's face do the same. Feeling fingers stroking through his hair was the cherry on top; Lance preened into the touch and beamed at Keith even more.

"Don't mention it. I'll protect you." Keith promised, again.

Lance could feel himself getting caught up in the moment, emotions sweeping through him and making his heart burst as he and Keith stared at each other. They were definitely not paying attention to the colors flashing on the laptop screen, because Lance was too busy focusing on the color that was seeping back into his life, even if he didn't deserve any of this.

He couldn't stop himself; every muscle in his body strained in movement as he propped himself upwards and pressed his lips to Keith's, eyes falling shut. It took Keith a few moments to understand what was going on, but within seconds, Lance could feel him kissing back.

At first his chest was just fluttering from being able to kiss Keith again, but the longer their lips stayed connected, the more he could feel Keith pouring everything he had into Lance, hand cupping his cheek with feather-soft touches and caressing him. The kiss became a conversation, one that said, _yes, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere_.

Lance melted into Keith's chest, laying himself bare with his kiss, too. Again, maybe he was just getting caught up in the moment, but he couldn't help it as his walls came down, and he pressed his lips against Keith's with a desperation for the comfort he offered, baring his broken soul, begging for Keith to patch it up, because he was so tired of being hurt…

Keith's arms came around Lance's sides, embracing him tightly and squeezing him full of warmth, assuring him that he was wanted, and just that feeling alone made Lance want to cry...he felt so protected, so safe, and he just wanted to sob in relief, but he forced himself not to. Instead, he just kissed Keith harder.

He knew this could still all be fake; after all, happiness never lasted in his life without some sort of catch. Even if it was, though, he wanted to at least relish in this moment while he had it.

They kissed for as long as they could before pulling away for air, inhaling with heavy gasps while staring at each other with red, sweaty faces. Lance's smile never left him as he leaned into Keith's palm more, and even as his breathing began stabilizing, his heart continued to pound against his chest. When Keith hugged him close to him again, he could feel that Keith's heart was in a similar condition.

"...I guess we should probably pay attention, huh?" Keith chuckled, gesturing to the screen.

Lance readjusted himself in between Keith's legs so that he was leaning back against Keith comfortably again. "Yeah. Okay." He smiled up at him before paying attention to the show. He'd always enjoyed animated shows, so he was sure this one would be no different.

As they watched together, though, all Lance could think about was Keith's body pressing up against him from behind, acting as his shelter and his safe place. He kept cuddling closer and listening to the sound of Keith's breaths more than anything the characters in the show were saying, and eventually he had to interrupt again.

"...it's weird…" He started, hugging himself a bit. "I mean, you barely even know me...you treat me so well, and yet, you don't know my history or anything, none of it...but I guess that's _why_ you treat me so well…" _Right. If he knew how hopeless I am, he wouldn't…_

"Lance." Keith spoke sternly, immediately seizing Lance's attention as he tilted his chin up to look Keith in the eyes. He held Lance's gaze steadily, refusing to waver or blink. "You're human, same as me. What more do I need to know about you to treat you well?"

Throughout the entire morning, despite his doubts and fears, a piece of Lance had still immediately latched onto Keith's words of comfort; he had allowed himself to cling to Keith even though he should know better than that...and only now did he understand the reason why.

They hadn't been apart for long, but Lance had honestly forgotten just how good of a person Keith was. This boy was always going out of his way to be there for Lance and always doing things for others even when he didn't know them...and this was no exception. It was perfectly in character for Keith to do something selfless like this for Lance...it was perfectly in character for Keith to be telling the truth.

Lance was positive his insides would just burst at this point, and yet, no matter how much it felt like the tears would start overflowing, they didn't; he could only beam stupidly at Keith while shoving his forehead into his chest, shivering when arms wrapped around him once more so Keith could cradle Lance in his arms.

Keith was a good person...and Lance was a broken person. But for the first time that day, Lance began to truly believe that maybe, if Keith stuck to his word, if he could just stay here with him, then maybe Lance could learn how to get better.

Just maybe.


	12. Let me love you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took a week longer to get out, and I'm sorry *orz* it's even worse since this is basically a direct follow up to the previous chapter, and I took a longer time to finish it. It's even shorter than the average chapter! Ahhh, I'm truly sorry. I hope the hurt/comfort makes up for it ToT

Given how distracted they had gotten during episode 1, Lance honestly didn't think they would manage to watch anything even though he really did want to. He didn't watch a lot of cartoons, but if Keith liked it, then he wanted to like it, too.

Luckily, after all the kissing and talking and snuggling, they ended up getting through the first two seasons of Voltron without interruption, which had, to Lance's surprise, left him actively wanting more.

"It's fun. _This_ is fun." Lance glanced back at Keith, back pressed to his chest still. He had his knees pulled up to his stomach now so that he was curled into a ball in between Keith's legs, and Keith rounded their position out with his arms on either side of Lance beneath the blanket.

"Glad to hear!" Keith exclaimed, resting his chin on Lance's shoulder, eliciting a fit of giggles to escape Lance before he followed Keith's gaze to the windows, which weren't offering any light through the white blinds. They'd been watching for quite a while.

"How are you feeling? Are you tired?"

Lance blinked in surprise, just like he had the other five times Keith had asked him that question. The other boy checked up on him after every other episode, and at first it had just been a very Keith thing to do, but at this point, Lance couldn't help but frown.

"...I'm okay...still. You...ask that a lot…"

"Hm?" Keith observed his face, but Lance couldn't bring himself to meet his gaze. Maybe he was the one being weird…

They sat quietly for a solid minute before Keith sighed and leaned his head closer to Lance's. "I get it. Sorry if I sound like a mother hen...I just need to make sure I know how you're feeling. Remember—if you need something or if you want to do something else, just say it."

Lance shifted against Keith's chest a bit, still unable to meet Keith's eyes. He could only nod in response; it wasn't like he knew if he wanted anything. That was how hopeless he was. Pretty soon, Keith was going to learn that, and then...then he would see if Keith was willing to waste time on him. He knew Keith was a good person, and he trusted that Keith was a good person...but it was only because Keith already had his own preconception that Lance was worth more than he actually was.

"Hey," Keith interrupted Lance's thoughts, gently cupping Lance's cheek with his palm and turning his face so he was finally looking back at Keith's smile. "So, do you like the show so far?"

He leaned into Keith's palm, smiling a bit just for Keith. He seemed to be able to tell when Lance was drowning himself in deep thoughts.

"Yeah. I was never big on space, but I still like it."

Keith leaned back a bit, holding Lance to his chest and rocking them back and forth slowly. "That's understandable. If I wasn't going to be a pediatrician, I'd probably want to do something in space. But, helping children is my priority." He sighed and turned his face into Lance's neck a bit, nuzzling forward tiredly. "I like it."

Heat immediately spiked up Lance's body, passing through his heart like a spark of electricity before reaching his face in the form of red. He subconsciously leaned his head to the side a bit, exposing more of his neck for Keith's face to burrow into.

"I'm tired. And hungry. And you smell nice, like lavender."

Lance's cheeks just kept turning rosier and rosier as he watched Keith rest himself against his body.

"...you can thank Shiro's soap for that. I thought you said you got it for him…?"

"I did, but it smells really good on you." Keith answered immediately, almost absent-mindedly, as if he barely had to think to answer Lance's question.

He hugged his knees more, looking down as a small smile crawled across his face. No matter the situation and no matter where Lance's mindset was, Keith was always able to give Lance butterflies just from acting dorky or cute.

"...sometimes, I think you really are like the perfect boyfriend...too perfect for me…" Lance whispered, turning to look at Keith fondly.

To his surprise, Keith's head immediately perked up at that with wide eyes. "What? Me? No way, I mean, I'm not even experienced…!" He argued, piquing Lance's curiosity.

He shifted in between Keith's legs more so that he could face him without having to twist his body. "Not experienced?"

Keith froze up at that, much to Lance's confusion, and they just returned each other's gazes, staring and waiting for the other to say something before Keith sighed.

"Okay...yeah. I don't exactly have the most relationship experience, so...I don't think I could be called anything close to 'the perfect boyfriend'. The most 'experience' I have would just be a couple of past flings, nothing that would constitute as 'serious' experience, though." He gulped as he looked down at Lance's hand, as if he was going to reach for it, but ultimately dared not to. "I hope that doesn't change the way you look at me, though...I mean, I know I'm not the most experienced, and I know I haven't been in a ton of relationships before, but I do understand the difference between just wanting a fling and wanting something serious, I promise! Shiro's taught me a lot of things, and I've learned a lot from my past too, so...I promise I don't just think of you as something not serious! I won't do that to you!"

Lance found his lips curling up, smile spreading wider across his face the more Keith spoke until, by the end of his rambling, he was breaking into laughter. Soft, but still laughter.

He didn't understand why Keith would bother trying so hard to verify his romantic capabilities just for Lance's sake, as if he was on a pedestal. Lance didn't have anything to offer in a relationship; his body was the one aspect that was worth trying to win over. That said, that didn't change how tooth-rottingly sweet it was to watch Keith get super flustered and talkative, and his laughter only made Keith's face redden more.

A part of him was honestly surprised that Keith didn't have much relationship experience. After all, the guy was a super hot badass that dominated the race track, and on top of that, he had the purest heart Lance had ever seen. It was just as he said before—Keith was like the perfect boyfriend. It seemed unrealistic to even consider that he didn't have suitors of both genders all over him...so the fact that he was actively trying this much for Lance's sake made his heart melt—even if he didn't understand why.

He beamed up at Keith to ease his tenseness. "I don't think differently of you," he assured, grabbing Keith's hand and raising it to his own cheek with minimal ache. "...I think it's sweet. At least I know you don't have any exes to worry about!"

Keith's face seemed to relax at that, and he returned Lance's smile while cupping his cheek more, running his thumb along Lance's jawline tenderly.

Lance's heart was spiking out of control as he turned his head to kiss Keith's palm, slowly but steadily growing bolder. Being with Keith like this reminded him of their times together, during that first week they'd met, only this was way more intimate, and the familiarity of it all helped him ease up to the boy who he had once called his boyfriend. He was back to questioning what to call their relationship now, though.

They silently basked in each other's closeness for a while, with Lance relishing in the feel of Keith's hand against his cheek and Keith admiring the looks Lance gave him as he slowly warmed back up to him.

Then, Keith's smile faltered a bit, and his hand fell from Lance's cheek to wrap around his shoulder, as if to support him against his chest better. His stomach tightened in a deep sigh, and Lance shifted worriedly, looking Keith over, confused at his sudden mood shift.

"...what about _your_ relationship experience?" He asked, caution tensing both his voice and his muscles as he looked Lance in the eyes, as if to assure him he wasn't trying to make Lance freak out. "What about your exes? Only if you want to talk about it, of course…"

Lance's stomach churned just at the mention of exes, since that obviously meant... _him_ …

"You don't have to say anything!" Keith spoke fast—he must've seen the panic in Lance's eyes as he pulled him closer against his chest. "I just...I want to help you. I want to help you recover, and talking is a good first step, but the healing process is going to take time. You don't need to rush, so you don't need to say anything if you can't."

That gave Lance a little bit of reassurance as he rested his head against Keith and focused on his heartbeat instead of his own, hesitating to dip his mind into thoughts of Lotor. He wanted to say something...Keith was holding him like this and deserved to know what he was dealing with...but just the thought of Lotor opened up a gaping void in the pit of his stomach, and he felt like it could swallow him whole at any moment, tossing him back into an inescapable hole.

"Keith…" Lance burrowed into him, beginning to shake as images of Lotor flashed through his mind.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up...we can talk about something else," Keith suggested, fingers lightly grazing against Lance's hair.

Lance had to swallow hard to ground himself to shake his head, looking up into Keith's eyes, wanting to be sure it was safe to talk about Lotor. Of course, the look Keith gave him and the way he squeezed him was the safest thing Lance had ever experienced; he just had to soften his erratic breathing before he could speak.

"...no...it's okay. I'll try...but...I don't want to fall back into that same hole again, Keith…" His hands clutched onto Keith's shirt, and he found that he was already breaking down with tears brimming at his eyes. God he was so pathetic...he didn't intend to say anything that might make Keith hate him...but maybe Keith would hate him just from how pathetic he looked right now…

"Hey, it's okay…" Keith whispered, now straight up stroking the back of Lance's head. "You're not falling back anywhere. You're here with me, and it's okay to be scared. I'm listening."

Lance didn't know exactly what he wanted to say, so a million thoughts were invading his head all at once...the feeling of Keith's hand running through his hair was the only thing that tied him down to the reality that he was safe here with Keith. It was like a breath of fresh air, and he clung to it, focusing on Keith's body warmth, letting the other boy guide him through his own maze of a mind.

"...what should I say?" He looked up for Keith to give him order—his mind was a little clearer with Keith here but he still didn't know what the other wanted to hear.

Keith craned his neck down to press their foreheads together for a brief period, effectively launching Lance's heart into his throat as he spoke in a breathy whisper. "You can say whatever you want. It doesn't matter to me. I just want to be here to listen to you."

He shivered and scrabbled for a tighter grip against Keith's shirt. A cold wave of empty disappointment washed over him when Keith pulled his head back, but it passed as quickly as it had come, and he was left looking down at himself as Keith tucked the blankets closer as patiently as ever.

"...you once said, people don't hit the ones they love…" Lance started slowly, shifting uncomfortably in Keith's arms, not because Keith was uncomfortable, but because he wasn't at all used to talking about stuff like this with someone. "Lotor always hit me...so then...was he never in love with me?" He shakily rose his hands in front of his face, looking them over in repulsion. "But he said nobody else could love me except for him...so if Lotor doesn't love me then I'm…!" He was just talking to himself now as he buried his face in his palms, because just as he'd expected, tears began to burst.

He felt so heavy, like there was a brick chained to his foot, dragging him farther and farther into the shadowy depths of water. Any memory of Lotor just sucked him down even more, suffocating him, drowning him in the realization of how unlovable he was. How worthless he was without his body.

He didn't realize how badly he had began to sob until Keith was shaking him lightly, repeating his name worriedly.

"I can't…" Lance whimpered into Keith's stomach. "Lotor...he…only Lotor knows me and...but he didn't care...he let them do things to me, Keith…!"

His heart was melting in a completely different way from before; it was like his body was burning in his own uselessness, and even though he knew Lotor was willing to let other men have their way with Lance without him even knowing what was going on, he could feel that aching gnaw in his chest—the one that screamed for Lotor to embrace him, because only Lotor could truly accept Lance outside of just his body…

"Lance!" Keith shouted, finally raising his voice and shaking Lance harder until they were staring into each other's eyes. They both looked hysterical, but it was for completely different reasons as Keith cupped each side of Lance's face to stabilize his shaking.

"Hey...listen to me. Don't listen to Lotor...he was manipulating you, trying to hurt you. Okay? Lotor isn't the only person who can love you... _I_ can love you!"

Lance was stunned into stillness, sobs disappearing as he observed Keith's face for any signs of trickery or hesitation—there were none, as far as he could tell. In fact, Keith's eyes were more fiery than he'd ever seen before, drawing out silent tears from Lance that fell against Keith's hands.

"...no, you can't," he whispered, sinking against Keith. "You can't love me...Lotor spent nearly two years making sure no one could love me...I'm ruined…" He couldn't finish speaking as a sob seized his body.

Keith pressed their foreheads together again.

"From here on out, everything about Lotor is just wrong. Okay? Everything he ever said and did—wrong. I know he must've tried forcing things into your head...and that's not your fault. It's him. It's all his fault, and you didn't deserve any of it…" Their noses were touching now, and Lance could only describe this moment as surreal as Keith's lips curled up into a smile. "You don't need to rush to get better. I'm here, Lance. And if Lotor spent two years trying to break you down…I'll spend two-thousand years helping you mend back together; I don't care how long it takes."

That last line completely erased everything that had been on Lance's mind, leaving him a blank slate just staring at Keith in disbelief and shock. Then, all at once, like an overflooded dam crashing down, Lance exploded.

He could barely make coherent sentences as he buried his face into Keith's chest, tears overflowing the sides of his face—only this time, they weren't from fear.

"I'm...I'm sorry…" He hiccupped, doing his best to speak for Keith. "I'm sorry if I...if I do things that he taught me...and if it's hard on you…"

"It's okay. I'll stay with you no matter what," Keith assured, pulling Lance into a tighter embrace and rubbing his back.

"And...I'm sorry if...I'm a-always crying, but...I can't...I can't do anything else…"

"It's okay, Lance. It's okay…" Keith assured again, rocking them back and forth gently.

"I'm sorry if...I don't know what to do when you're nice…" His weeping was beginning to calm down now, thanks to Keith's back rubbing. "And...I'm sorry if I'm just a burden for you…"

"Shhh...Lance. Remember what I said?" He kissed Lance's neck before resting his head against the skin. "I'll stay and help you heal, no matter how long it takes. So don't apologize."

Lance went lax in Keith's arms, drained beyond exhaustion both physically and emotionally. Still, he managed to smile through a soft nod at Keith's words, curling into himself in between Keith's legs like it was his own personal safe place.

They rested their bodies together in a period of silence as Lance squeezed his eyes shut and focused on the feeling of Keith's body surrounding his like it was the only thing that existed. Like the outside world didn't matter.

He didn't know how Keith could possibly say any of the things he was saying; after all, why would somebody want to put up with him? Why would somebody promise to be there for him? It didn't make sense...but this was Keith, and from what Lance knew, Keith didn't make sense in general. There was always the chance he didn't know Keith as well as he thought he did, and that he was just lying...but Lance hoped that wasn't the case. He hoped Keith was telling the truth...and he hoped Keith would stay with him. He hoped Keith helped guide him back to happiness...because even after everything, he wanted to believe he could be happy again.

That hope was the only reason he chose to block out the doubts in his mind and cling to Keith.

"...you know," Keith started, taking a few deep breaths with his head still pressed into Lance's neck, "your skin is really smooth. Sorry if that's weird."

Lance's lips curled up at that—after such a violent assault on his emotions, he greatly welcomed Keith's banter.

"Thank you, I think..."

His hands reached up to play with the ends of Keith's hair, bearing through the slight ache that gnawed at his arms. He didn't even realize what he was doing until Keith chuckled, freezing him. "It...it's okay for me to do this, right?"

Keith brought his head away from Lance's neck so they could look at each other again, and the fond look on Keith's face told Lance everything. That didn't stop him from answering, though. "Of course, Lance. You can play with any part of my body—oh my god, I'm not—! Don't take that the wrong way, I swear I'm not trying to make you feel uncomfortable, I just meant—I'm so sorry!"

Lance started giggling the moment Keith's face dropped in panic, and it didn't get any better with the way he kept rambling. He couldn't help it—Keith could be so endearingly dorky sometimes, and it was actually incredible how easy it was for him to lift Lance's mood.

"I know what you mean," he assured, hand sliding down to Keith's cheek with a big smile. He was too engaged in the moment to realize how forward his action was until Keith's face reddened, turning into his hand slightly. That, in turn, got Lance's cheeks to flush, and he pulled his hand back to himself as the two of them just sat awkwardly without pulling their bodies away.

Perhaps it was a little strange for them to go through this phase of blushing just from simple touches since they'd literally had sex in Keith's car before, but this was different...this was something beyond physical intimacy. It was emotional intimacy, too, and that was something Lance had never experienced before. Judging from Keith's lack of relationship experience, it was probably something he hadn't experienced much, either.

"...I think we forgot about watching Voltron again." Keith chuckled, reaching for his laptop while still holding Lance against his chest. "Are you done watching? Or did you want to keep going? It's about to get really good."

Lance didn't think he could smile any more than he already was, but Keith consistently proved him wrong as his cheeks lit up to match the fluttering of his heart. Anyone could tell Keith wanted to keep watching, and if he wanted to watch, then Lance did, too.

Before he could answer, however, there was a knock on the door, and after Keith called for him to come in, Shiro peeked his head in with black paper trays.

He smiled the moment he saw them cuddling together in front of Keith's laptop, blanket and pillows appropriately embracing them until they were the very definition of comfort.

Shiro always seemed to be smiling—at least, from Lance's perspective—and at this point, he had already come to associate Shiro with the warm look whenever he thought about him. He may have initially appeared big and scary, but his face helped give off an aura of tenderness, and his actions certainly helped with that image as well as he set the closed trays in front of Keith. Despite the thoughtful gesture, though, the smell instantly had Lance cowering into Keith's chest.

"Chinese food just came in. I put in a little bit of everything into those two trays, so enjoy to your stomach's content. Here." He placed napkins and water bottles next to the trays that had seemingly come out of nowhere before nodding at the laptop. "That's a good show. Anyways, I'll check in again at some point, but just shout for me if you want more food, or if you just need anything in general. That goes for both of you."

Keith gave him an understanding nod before opening up the trays as Shiro left to give them their privacy.

As soon as Shiro was gone and as soon as the trays were open, displaying the oily chinese food within them, Lance began trying to back away into Keith even more, hiding his face in his shirt.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Keith asked, stroking Lance's arm and trying to cup his cheek with the other hand, and it was so _jarring_ to Lance because he expected Keith to just be annoyed at his reaction, but instead, his voice was the most soothing, patient thing he'd ever heard.

"I...I can't…" Lance let Keith tilt his face up so they could look at each other as he whimpered. "I can't eat it…"

Keith's brows deflated sadly, looking from Lance to the trays of food then back again. "Lance...you have to. Okay? You have to eat so you can feel better...all you've eaten is a banana."

"That's all I need." Lance squeezed his knees against his chest. "It's normal, so...I'll be fin—!"

He yelped as Keith suddenly grabbed his shoulders, a much more serious look on his face now.

"Lance…what do you mean it's normal?" He briefly scanned Lance's body, lip beginning to quiver, and Lance suddenly found that he had to avoid eye contact.

"...it isn't import—"

"Lance!"

He winced at Keith's increase in volume, not daring to seek comfort in his chest in case Keith rejected him. He instead lowered his face into his knees, already feeling his body beginning to shiver. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry…"

He waited for Keith to continue shouting, but instead, he felt him pressing his cheek to the top of Lance's head as he began rubbing his back all over again.

"...I'm sorry for yelling, Lance. Just, please...tell me why you said you can't eat. Tell me what's wrong. I want to help you...remember?"

Lance choked down a sob that Keith would definitely feel since his hand was on his back, slowly leaning his head back into Keith's chest upon hearing his softer voice return. "I...I know you do...I just…" Despite his trembling voice, his body had stopped shaking at this point, comforted by Keith's warmth, and he decided he would just never leave Keith's arms like this unless he was yelled at again. "I can't eat that food...it'll ruin my body, and this is all I have…" He hugged his stomach while eyeing the chinese food like it was an unspeakable force of evil.

He waited to be reprimanded, to be scolded for already being too difficult, but instead, Keith just pressed his lips to the top of Lance's head.

"...I think I get it. It...it's going to be okay, Lance," Keith whispered, tilting Lance's face back up to look at him. "Really, it's going to be okay. Can you try to eat a little, though? For me?"

Lance couldn't help but whine as his jaw fell open a bit. He should've been happy that Keith didn't find him pathetic, but he could only hang his head.

"...for you…" He whispered, already regretting that answer as Keith pulled the trays closer.

"Thank you...you don't have to eat a lot, I promise. Just a little bit, okay? As much as you can."

Lance dipped his head in a small nod, reaching for one of the forks in favor of the chopsticks and cautiously lifting a small batch of white rice to his lips. His tongue slid out cautiously to taste it first, buying himself time. He could feel Keith watching him, though, so he tightened his stomach in a grimace and forced the fork into his mouth.

He knew he didn't have to be scared of a little rice, but just seeing all the oily food had him approaching the situation with extra caution.

Keith's eyes stayed on him as he ate, as if demonstrating for Lance, who only managed to pick at small clumps of rice every now and then. Then, out of nowhere, Keith picked up a piece of orange chicken in his chopsticks and held it out towards him.

Lance frowned, looking up from the piece of chicken to Keith. "What…?"

"Here. You need meat, too. Please?"

The 'please' was what did it for Lance, and he kept his eyes locked with Keith's to hold onto his resolve as he opened his mouth.

"I need more room than that! Come on, say 'ahhh'." Keith insisted.

Despite his twisting stomach, Lance couldn't but giggle, complying and making an 'ahhh' sound as he opened his mouth wider for Keith to fit his chopsticks inside. He didn't spend time tasting the chicken, for obvious reasons; he chewed quickly and swallowed before resting his face back against Keith's chest to signify he didn't want any more.

"Hey, it's your turn!" Keith prompted, nudging Lance lightly.

His stomach flipped again, not in disgust, but in excitement as he smiled up at Keith and poked a piece of chicken with his fork. So long as he didn't have to be the one eating, he found the concept of feeding Keith strangely cute and fun. "Okay. But now it's your turn to say 'ahhh'!" Lance declared.

Keith snickered and did as he was told, and Lance thought it was the cutest thing ever to see him patiently waiting with his mouth open. When his lips closed around Lance's fork, though, his cheeks flushed, and he held the fork in Keith's mouth for a few seconds as he stared. Only when Keith moaned at the taste of the chicken did Lance pull back with a yelp, face reddening with each movement of Keith's jaw as he chewed.

"Eat more, okay? You can feed me most of the chicken," Keith suggested, nodding at the trays.

Lance bit back his complaint. He knew Keith was only trying to look out for him—he just had to do enough to please him.

He picked at the rice more, and Keith let him feed him after every bite he took, which gave Lance great satisfaction. Eating in general was stressful, and he felt squeamish each time Keith tried feeding him a piece of chicken from his chopsticks, but regardless of how his stomach felt, he was thankful to Keith and Shiro for looking after him.

"Thank you…" he muttered out of the blue, staring at Keith as the black-haired boy fed himself, taking in his features more; from the messy drop of his mullet down the back of his neck to the way he seemed to naturally pout while still seeming warm, Lance took in all of it. He wanted to remember every single frame of Keith's being, just in case he ever lost it. He didn't want to think about Lotor, and he didn't want to think about what would happen if he lost Keith, but just in case he ever did, he wanted to engrave him in his memory forever and ever.

Keith caught him staring with a raise of his eyebrow, smiling when Lance sighed in admiration. Then, he leaned his head forward, closing their lips together as they shared another gentle kiss.

The food was quickly forgotten as Lance turned more for Keith's convenience, and even though he already knew how different Keith was from everything else in his life, he would never be able to stop the butterflies that appeared whenever Keith reminded him just how different he was. He felt safe...and even more than that, he felt like he could be happy.

They deepened the kiss for a few more seconds before pulling away for air, smiling at each other as Keith ran his fingers down the side of Lance's face.

"Sorry about that...you're just super cute."

Lance lifted his hand over Keith's hand while leaning his face into the touch with a wide smile.

There was a part of him that screamed for him not to trust Keith so openly, that he was being stupid and leading himself right into another disaster...but despite everything he'd been through, Keith just gave off a vibe of 'I will protect you' that warmed Lance's heart. He'd already told him about what Sendak and the other men did to him at the bar...and he knew a little bit about Lotor...and while there was still so much more that could make Keith leave him, so much more that Lance didn't want to think about, he hadn't left him yet...and that had to count for something.

"We should finish eating so Shiro doesn't yell at us. We're only half-way through," Keith pointed out, picking up another piece of chicken in his chopsticks.

Lance nodded, but turned away from the food so that he wouldn't have to eat anymore of the orange chicken. Luckily, Keith seemed to get the message, and he went on to eat the rest of the tray while Lance nestled into him.

Shiro couldn't have chosen a more perfect time to knock on the door, coming in right as Keith finished the last of the food.  
"Did you want more?" He asked, picking up their trash without anyone even saying anything about it.

Keith rejected the offer for both of them, helping Shiro pile the napkins onto the trays for him to carry out.

"If you say so. I emailed you all the online work you needed to complete, Keith. Also, I printed a majority of the papers you'll be missing from Sam, so make sure you finish these. Finals are coming up, after all."

Shiro handed a groaning Keith a packet of papers that Lance had barely noticed; he was most certainly taking note of it now, though, mind reeling as he thought Shiro's words over.

"Wait! You mean...are you missing class just because of me?" His eyes strained wide open at Keith, who looked at Shiro with tongue in cheek.

"I...uh...yeah. I am." He sighed, giving up on trying to sugarcoat it under Lance's intense stare. "I'll probably be missing classes for a while. But it's okay! I have all my work here, so I won't fall behind."

"You shouldn't…" Lance muttered, already imagining all the horrible things that could happen to Keith. "You shouldn't miss school just because of me...your teachers, they'll get angry if you miss a lot…"

"Don't worry about something like that. Shiro's the assistant to Professor Holt, who's sort of a big deal. He can vouch for me, if he hasn't already."

"I have," Shiro confirmed. "Like Keith said, don't worry. I'll take care of that."

Lance was looking back and forth between them as Keith squeezed his hand.

"It'll be okay. Besides, I'd rather be here spending time with you!"

Under normal circumstances the romantic banter would've made Lance blush, but his heart was beating a bit too frantically for flattery at the moment as his eyes flashed with memories. "But then you'll be too busy to do your work...and then you'll fall behind...I don't want you to waste time on me if your finals are coming up…"

"He won't be falling behind, I can make sure of that," Shiro assured.

Lance didn't know what to make of Shiro's word, so he turned to Keith, who nodded in reassurance.

"Shiro's right. Seriously, nobody's more concerned with me not falling behind than Shiro is! It's not like I'm gonna neglect my work either. Spending time with you doesn't mean I can't get my work done. Actually...the reason I went to the Web of Sins on that first night was _because_ I was working too much, and Shiro suggested I needed a break to keep myself sane." Keith chuckled.

He continued looking back and forth from Keith to Shiro, still not totally convinced, but it was clear he couldn't argue anymore.

"...okay. If you say so." If Keith insisted on missing school for him, then he would just have to make sure he didn't get in the way of Keith's work. He could still remember how badly the other had talked about wanting to become a pediatrician, and Lance wouldn't allow himself to ruin Keith's life, too.

"Don't worry about it. And Keith, email me your results so I can go over them." Shiro patted Lance's head, shocking him until he was jumping against Keith, before leaving the two of them alone once more.

Even as he watched Shiro close the door behind him, the feeling of his hand on his head lingered...but, as unexpected as it had been, he sort of liked the small gesture.

Keith began arranging the papers in front of them, reaching over to the table at the bedside for something to write with. Meanwhile, Lance observed the papers.

"What is it?"

"It's...math." Keith sighed, printing his name at the top of a paper before resting his chin against Lance's shoulder. "Boring stuff, I know. Homework is homework, though. It's not too hard—just a lot of work."

Lance cocked his head to the side as he looked over the paper. He didn't understand any of it, but still...he wished homework was the most he had to complain about rather than dealing with his stupid issues.

"You can go to sleep if you want. It is pretty late, after all, and it might be uncomfortable to just sit with me while I do homework. I'll still be right here; I've just gotta get some work done before I join you."

There wasn't even any question to it—they were sharing the bed and Keith would be sleeping right next to Lance all night long. That much was certain, and it cleared up one of his anxieties.

"That's okay...I want to stay with you until you're ready to sleep. Oh, unless it's easier for you to work without me here…" Lance wanted to smack himself over the head for already messing up, and he began trying to move away from Keith's chest to leave him be, but Keith quickly wrapped both arms around him.

"No! No, it's fine! You can stay here, I'll try to be as comfortable as possible. Here." Keith began shifting the blanket around them again as Lance leaned back against his stomach, sinking into him so that he could lay in a comfortable position. The ache from what happened to him last night was still there, but it was easier to deal with by now, especially with Keith there with him.

Once both of them were comfortable, Keith began working on his homework while Lance watched, eyes flitting shut within just a few seconds. Naturally, as a popular stripper, he was attuned to nightlife and was generally very nocturnal, but the time of day had nothing to do with his exhaustion. His muscles were all but dead, and his emotions had been worn down like rusted metal, weighing down on his body until he felt abnormally heavy. Still, he managed to stay awake, not wanting to distract Keith by falling asleep in his arms while he worked.

He wasn't sure how much time passed; Keith went through several sheets of paper before transitioning into working on his laptop, and Lance just stared blankly through it all. He might as well have been sleeping with his eyes open since his brain wasn't registering anything that was happening, but determination alone helped him to keep from dozing off completely...even though he might've been even more of a distraction to Keith like this.

Either way, Keith eventually ended up finishing what he deemed to be an appropriate amount of homework for the night, putting away his laptop and his papers.

One moment they were sitting up as Keith rearranged items on the bed, and the next, Lance was tucked into the bed on his side with Keith laying right next to him, lights off, face to face as he intertwined their fingers together to keep physical contact. Somehow, that got Lance to wake up a bit more.

"Keith…" he whispered, scooting closer as his eyes adjusted to the dark to see Keith staring back at him. "...you'll be here in the morning...right? You'll be right here when I wake up?"

Keith copied Lance, scooting towards him before planting a soft kiss against the bridge of his nose. "Of course. I'll be right here in the morning, and the morning after that, and even after that. And if you wake up in the middle of the night, I'll be here, too. I'll be here no matter when you wake up."

"Do you promise?"

Keith chuckled, arm wrapping around Lance to hold him close...to protect him. "I promise, Lance."

Lance squeezed his eyes shut and immediately cuddled into Keith, shivering at the feeling of his arm around his torso. He breathed in his scent, relished in his warmth, and let his promise chime on repeat in his head over and over again as his body melted into Keith's.

As they snuggled, Keith's chin rested on top of Lance's head, fitting him into his body completely, serving as a sort of safe haven. "...I want to stay here..."

Lance slowly looked up as Keith caressed his cheek with a soft smile.

"I want to be here for you, Lance...so please, let me. Trust me. Please, let me love you...don't push me away...and I won't go anywhere."

Lance's heart was fluctuating back and forth between sinking and bursting; either way, it was pounding against his chest like a beast desperate for escape. He could only bury his face in Keith's chest to try and hide his captivation, in turn feeling Keith's heart throbbing against his chest just like Lance's.

If there were any doubts left that Keith was still just trying to play with him, they were immediately erased. Keith was telling the truth. Keith wanted to love Lance—that was no longer a doubt. But...

"...I don't think it's possible for you to love me…" Lance whispered, a silent sob suddenly surging through his body as Keith squeezed them closer together. "I don't think it's possible for you to love me...but...I want you to. I want you to try...I want you to stay with me…"

Keith's hand slid past his cheek to stroke the back of his head, fingers gliding through his hair in comforting strokes. Everything Keith did made Lance want to cry even more, but he was too tired to commit to crying, so he instead matched his breathing with Keith's and let his exhaustion wear at him again as Keith kissed his head.

"I will. I promise."

Lance felt completely surrounded by comfort and warmth when they were cuddled like this, with Keith's arms around him and his chin fitted over his head perfectly. Keith was safety incarnate, and knowing that Shiro was also in the house only made Lance feel even more safe.

The mere concept of sleep was sometimes a horror to Lance, since it meant nightmares. He could especially remember the nightmares he got when Lotor first left him and he was left to recover on his own, and it almost made him hesitant to sleep since this was very much a similar scenario…

...but this time, he wasn't recovering alone. This time he had Keith, and Keith had said it was okay for him to take his time healing...Keith had promised he would be there for Lance no matter what...and Lance trusted him. Even if he couldn't get rid of the nightmares, and even if he had to suffer, Keith would be there for him, embracing him, no matter what.

So, with a final sigh of content, Lance let his eyes relax shut, clinging close to Keith and drifting to sleep in his arms.


	13. Lance's Web of Sins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, there was a huge hiatus, I know...I'm sorry orz it was an awful time to take a break, too, since things are gonna start building. I hope it's worth the wait! The title of this chapter alone should tell you that big things are gonna go down.

Keith had never been a deep sleeper—in fact, he had somewhat of a mental alarm clock ingrained in his body. Ever since his younger years, he'd trained his body to be able to wake up when he needed it to, which certainly helped with his attendance in classes, but it also helped in this case, where he needed to wake up before Lance.

He would hope that he would wake up if the other boy had a nightmare, but since there was no guarantee, he made it a priority to wake up before him to watch over him for a while.

Waking up with Lance's warmth clinging onto him was a pleasant change as far as morning routine went—not that it was a routine, but he wouldn't mind it if it was. Longer legs meant Lance was technically the taller of the two, but he was cuddled into Keith's chest with his legs curled up, so it was easy for Keith to rest his cheek against the top of his head.

Lance suddenly began stirring against Keith, eyebrows trembling, as if he was witnessing something disturbing. Keith watched for a few seconds before Lance whimpered and began to twist more violently, prompting him to gently shake him awake.

He gasped when his eyes opened, looking around quickly before immediately launching himself into Keith's chest without even looking at him, burying his nose in his shirt, and Keith would've found it cute if it wasn't highly concerning.

"Hey, you okay?" He ran his hand through Lance's hair in hopes of calming him down.

No answer.

Keith stroked his head and let him listen to his heartbeat, electing to give him a moment instead of pestering him. Eventually, Lance's shaking did calm down, and he just snuggled closer, arms wrapping around Keith's torso.

"...I'm sorry…"

Keith frowned. That wasn't the first thing he wanted to hear Lance say in the morning.

"You can lay here as long as you'd like. I'll stay." He pressed his cheek to Lance's head again as the other didn't respond.

After a few minutes of resting against each other, though, Lance finally managed to look up without shaking. "...we can get up now. I don't want to make you lay here forever."

"What if I _want_ to lay here with you forever?" Keith complained, smiling to himself when Lance giggled. Good. That was much better.

They uncoiled beneath the blanket, but their hands never left each other.

"How are you feeling?"

Lance sighed and rested his head against Keith's shoulder, moving much better than he had the day before. "I'm okay. When I woke up, I...I thought you were _him_." He sunk against Keith once more. "...do you have anything important to do today?"

That explained the twisting. Keith was pretty alarmed, but Lance didn't seem to be blowing it out of proportion, so he didn't push for more details.

"Of course I have important things to do." He cupped Lance's cheek so that he was looking him in the eyes. "I have to spend time with you! Nothing more important than that!"

The smile that spread on Lance's face was a huge breath of relief as they giggled and brought their foreheads together.

"You don't want to just sit around with me…" Lance denied, smile still present.

"Yes I do." Keith pinched Lance's cheek lightly. "Why don't we eat breakfast first, though?"

That managed to drop Lance's smile, as Keith had expected. It was clear as day that he was hesitating to answer—he couldn't seem to reject him, though.

"It's necessary to eat so you can heal. Okay?" Keith continued to ease him. "You don't have to eat a lot."

He gave Keith a small nod and even managed to smile again before clinging to him, and Keith swore his heart couldn't have gotten any warmer as he scooped him up without question and brought him to the kitchen.

Shiro was already eating cereal at the table with the box, milk carton, and two bowls sitting next to him. He always seemed to have exactly what Keith needed whenever he needed it, but this was taking it to the next level.

"Wow...thanks, Shiro." He picked up the milk carton as Shiro eyed him.

"You'd best pour the cereal in first, Keith, or else you might scar Lance."

His face flushed red, and he scowled at Shiro before looking down at Lance, who's confusion quickly melted into a laugh.

"Wait, you pour the milk before the cereal?"

"I didn't teach it to him, I promise," Shiro said, smirking as Lance laughed, and Keith wanted to just melt into the ground as he set the milk down in favor of the cereal box.

"Fine, fine, whatever," he groaned. "I don't get what the big deal is. I like watching the cereal plop into the milk in the bowl, so what?"

Lance laughed even more at that as Shiro face palmed at his explanation, and even though he was pouting, Keith's heart couldn't help but flutter with each round of laughter that left Lance's mouth. Even if he was the butt of a joke, if it made Lance laugh, he was okay with it.

Naturally, once he sat down to actually eat with Lance on his lap, the laughter stopped, and Lance curled into himself, as if to draw less attention to his presence in hopes that he wouldn't have to eat as much. Despite his obvious uncomfortableness, though, he ate whenever Keith prompted him to.

He didn't enjoy having to force Lance to eat, of course, but there was no other choice...he needed food to get better.

After every spoonful of cereal, Lance would turn his face into Keith's stomach, as if ashamed at being seen eating, and each time, Keith would turn to Shiro for help.

Shiro just nodded at him and watched through the corner of his eyes as he finished his own bowl.

Eventually, Lance stopped turning around to face the table and instead looked up at Keith. "I...I can't eat all of it." He glanced back at his bowl of cereal. "Is it okay? Is it enough yet?"

Keith's heart sunk at the way Lance looked up at him for permission, and even Shiro had to look away.

"...of course it is. If you think it's enough, then it's enough."

Lance brightened at that, and he rested against Keith's chest again as Keith sighed and quickly began finishing his bowl.

"I'll be around the house. If you need me, you know what to do." Shiro got up and grabbed Lance's bowl regrettably, bringing both to the sink.

It wasn't Lance's fault—they knew that—but it didn't make it any less heartbreaking seeing Lance act as if he didn't have choices of his own.

The aftermath of Lotor's abuse was unmistakable, and it made Keith's muscles tense with anger...but as he looked down at Lance's content form, he just let that rage fuel his fire to be there for Lance.

*******

"Now what?" Lance asked, shifting his back against Keith's chest as they situated themselves back on Keith's bed with Lance sitting comfortably in between his legs. The position seemed standard for them at this point—most likely because they had spent hours sitting like this yesterday.

"Well, I thought we could draw together?" Keith suggested, grabbing his notebook and a pen and setting it in front of Lance, arms around his sides.

Lance beamed up at him with eyes that made Keith's heart swell. "Okay! That sounds fun."

He had to will the red away from his cheeks, regaining his composure by resting his chin against Lance's head protectively while flipping the pen in his fingers and turning it over to Lance. "You go first."

"Me?" Lance looked up at him again, hesitantly accepting the pen. "But...what am I supposed to draw?"

Keith flipped through the notebook with a small, bittersweet smile. "You can draw whatever you want. It's your choice."

Lance just stared at him hard, as if waiting for him to say something more or to at least give a suggestion, but Keith gave nothing.

After looking between him and the paper a few times, Lance finally settled on an idea and put pen to paper, warming Keith's heart. It was such a little thing, but even so, he was proud of Lance.

"Okay, h-here…" Lance rose the notebook a bit for Keith's convenience, but refused to look himself as Keith peered at his drawing.

The first thing he noted was that Lance's drawing style was cartoonishly cute, giving the person in his drawing a big head and big eyes with stumpy limbs. The second thing he noted was that...it was him.

Blood began rushing to Keith's cheeks as he saw the word 'Keef' written above the drawing, which just made the entire thing that much cuter as he squished Lance in between his legs and arms.

"It's so cute! Your drawing in general is cute! I like it!"

He pecked Lance's cheek and leaned back so that the other could beam at him, and the sight of his sparkling eyes flipped Keith's heart like a pancake. The sight of Lance looking so proud of himself wasn't the least bit fair to Keith.

"Alright, my turn!" He announced, copying Lance's drawing style after receiving the pen. He actually enjoyed drawing quite a bit and had somewhat of a talent for it, but right now, he wasn't trying to show off; he just wanted to sketch something quick and cute.

He added small lines to symbolize blush marks on Lance's cheeks before throwing the pen on the paper and resting their faces close to each other again. "There! It's you! I tried to make it as cute as I could, but nothing comes close to the original." He kissed the side of Lance's head for emphasis, impressing even himself with how romantic he was (trying) to be.

Whether he was good at the romance or not was debatable, but it managed to give Lance's face an extra tint of red, so that was good enough in his book as Lance turned into Keith's chest and grabbed his shirt.

"...I like it…" He tilted his head up, locking eyes with Keith. Then, as if to prove which of them was better at romancing, he pulled Keith down and pressed their lips together, jolting Keith's heart into hyperspeed.

The fact that Lance was the one who initiated all of their mouth-to-mouth kisses made Keith's very soul sing, and he just wanted to hold onto him and relish in this moment for forever. Sometimes his mind would still wander to the sight of Lance in the alleyway, completely broken and used...but when they were kissing like this, he felt safer, because Lance was safer. He felt like he could protect Lance, and that was all he wanted.

His head was already getting foggy due to how happy he was to see Lance comfortably snuggling up to him, and it was only morning! At this rate, he and Lance would probably tire each other out in no time.

He pulled his laptop over, resting his chin against Lance's shoulder. "Hey, I'm gonna do some quick morning homework and get it out of the way so that we can spend the rest of the day having fun together. Is that okay with you?"

Lance pressed their cheeks together, and Keith could just feel the stretch of his smile.

"Of course! That's very smart. I guess you aren't a procrastinator."

Keith chuckled as he opened the online worksheets Shiro had emailed him. There was way too much to do, and this was the last thing he'd rather be doing, but getting to cuddle with Lance while doing homework made it worth it. He wouldn't mind killing his brain for school if he got to hold Lance like this the entire time.

"I'm not sure how long it'll take me to get through everything I want to do. You can draw some more so you aren't just watching; sound good?"

Lance's smile dropped at that as he looked down at the paper, staring at it like it was his arch-nemesis before slowly shaking his head. "...no, that's okay, I don't know what to draw anyways…" His smile reappeared for Keith. "I want to just watch you!"

He looked Lance over twice before hesitantly nodding, and with that, Lance fell back against Keith's chest and watched his fingers and the screen as Keith worked.

Spending quality time with Lance was his reward at the end of the tunnel, not that this wasn't quality time or anything, so Keith went through his homework faster than ever before, completing worksheet after worksheet and sending the occasional long-answer response to Shiro. Eventually, Lance got curious enough to lean forward and observe his screen more closely.

"...what is it?"

Keith couldn't help but crack a smile, more than thankful for Lance's refreshing interjection. Just hearing him say something after all his working felt like a wave of refreshment for his brain.

"It's biology, basically," he explained.

Lance's eyes lit up at that as he looked back at the screen. "Really?! That's cool. I like biology. I wanted to be—" He cut himself off, face dropping once more.

"...what's wrong? You wanted to what?" Keith urged, always in a mood to know more about Lance. He'd seemed to not even notice he was sharing info with Keith, which was a good sign...Keith hoped their relationship could one day always be completely open.

"...I wanted to...become a marine biologist. When I was in school, I mean." Lance admitted, curling into himself as Keith dedicated his undivided attention to him, momentarily dropping his homework, counting it as an early break.

"Oh. That's...awesome!" He squeezed his arms around Lance as he giggled. "I'm sure you'd be amazing at it!"

"I don't know." Lance went on once he stopped laughing. "I've always really loved marine life, and I always wanted to learn more about it and to maybe swim with sharks, but...it didn't...it didn't work out for me." His gaze fell down, shoulders sinking until he wasn't snuggling against Keith anymore. "I guess I'll never get that life now."

Keith's heart sank at the sight of Lance sulking. It hurt even more because Lance was sad for reasons that neither of them could control anymore, leaving him with a cold sting; not just because Lance's warmth was leaning away from him now, although that certainly contributed to it. He didn't know if a hug would help Lance in this situation, but there was no harm in trying.

"Hey, it's okay…" He buried his nose in the back of Lance's neck as he pulled him back into his chest. Lance, of course, allowed Keith to do whatever he wanted.

"I know…it doesn't mean anything to me now. That's all in the past." He grabbed Keith's arm to give it a squeeze, as if seeking comfort, before managing to smile up at Keith. Of course he managed a smile—he was Lance. "You can get back to your homework now. Is your school's biology difficult?"

Keith opened his mouth to answer, only to be struck by a sudden idea—one that he couldn't believe hadn't crossed his mind immediately. It took only a few moments for him to work out a plan, and suddenly his heart was beating significantly faster than before as he glanced from his laptop to Lance.

"Hey, I uh, bathroom! I've gotta go real quick, I'll be right back! Here," he handed Lance the notebook and pen, already jumping in excitement as he hurried off of the bed. "Draw something for me, okay? I promise I'll be right back, it'll just be like five minutes, okay?"

Lance blinked in surprise, looking around frantically, but when Keith squeezed his hands, he fell deathly still, skin paling as he hesitantly looked down at the notebook. "...okay. I think I'll be okay. Just be quick…"

"I will!" Keith exclaimed, pecking Lance on the lips quickly before leaving him in the room. He really should've considered the consequences of his actions...but right now, he was too excited for Lance, for what he had planned for him.

He knocked on Shiro's door and slipped inside as soon as permitted, smile already taking over his face as Shiro raised an eyebrow.

"You seem to be in a good mood. I'm guessing Lance had something to do with it?"

"Uh...something like that. I need to talk to you about Lance, and an idea I had!"

He let the door shut behind him.

*****~Lance~*****

Watching Keith leave left Lance's insides churning with even more terror than when Keith and Shiro had insisted he eat. He wanted to call after him, to tell Keith not to leave him, but how could he do that when Keith was doing so much for him? He'd just be selfishly bothering Keith more than he already was. Instead, he curled his legs close to his chest and picked up the pen to try and keep himself busy. Keith had said it would only take five minutes; he just needed to distract himself for a bit.

He stared at the blank page of paper long and hard, trying to imagine what he could possibly draw. Anything...anything at all. He just needed to draw something to keep himself busy.

...there was nothing. He couldn't think of anything to draw. The only thing he could think about was how he was all alone in a large room, waiting for somebody to come back for him...it was just like his time with Lotor.

It was just like his time in the cellar.

He could still see it clearly; his small, pathetic form bundled in the corner of a dark space, completely isolated from any type of warmth or light as he waited for Lotor to come for him. Dust and cobwebs sullied his bruised skin, and the only embrace he got was the kiss of _darkness, darkness, darkness…_

_Happy thoughts_. He chewed his lower lip. _I need to think happy thoughts. Keith. Keith is here for me. Keith said he wants to love me._

_Darkness...loneliness...it's what you deserve…_

_Keith wants me here. Keith doesn't want me to be lonely._

_None of that matters...not when it comes to you. Nobody loves you, not Lotor, not your family, nobody._

Tears were prickling his eyes now as he shook his head violently, unaware of the small cries violently shuddering through his body. More thoughts...he needed more happy thoughts. He needed more happiness to block out the darkness, to block out the images of the cellar.

_Keith...I...I have Keith...I have Keith...but...where is he?_

He began to sob more violently now, eyes squeezing shut as the tears fell.

_Where is Keith...why am I all alone…_

_Happy thoughts...I need happy thoughts…where are they...where did they all go..._

When he opened his eyes again, he could see the darkness all around him, could hear his own demons whispering in his head, and he knew he needed to fill himself with happy thoughts, but he didn't have any left. There was nothing left.

He desperately began scribbling on the paper, tears already wetting the page as he whimpered and cried and tried to make the darkness leave him alone...he just wanted it to leave him alone…

Before he knew what he was doing, a dark blob of scribbles shrouded the entire page with a small figure in the corner, completely surrounded by the darkness. It was the most dark and eerie drawing he had ever seen, gnawing at his heart with a painful ache.

He hated it...he hated it so much...he hated himself…

_Why is that the only thing I can draw?_

He clenched the pen harder, burying his face in his arms as he became the representation of his drawing, engulfed in the darkness.

What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he be happy? Why didn't he have any happy thoughts? Why couldn't he think happy thoughts? Why couldn't he even _draw_ anything happy?

He shrieked in despair, tossing the pen across the room and following it by tossing the notebook in another direction, wanting it as far away from him as possible as he began clawing at the bedsheet in hysteria, as if that would help him get rid of everything wrong with himself, but he didn't know what was wrong with him.

Why couldn't he be happy? Why couldn't he do something as simple as draw a picture?

"Why...I hate you…" he sobbed into his arm. "I hate you...I hate you...I HATE YOU!" He screamed, darkness closing in on him with every word and every cry that left his mouth until he could almost imagine himself towering over the form of a pitiful creature crouching in the corner of a dark room—

"Lance?!"

Keith's voice momentarily distracted him, but it didn't register until he was kneeling next to him and holding him to his chest, spreading his familiar warmth through the darkness as Lance immediately grabbed his arm with a shaky wail. He practically threw himself against Keith, who only held his arms open for Lance before closing them around his trembling shoulders.

"I'm sorry...oh my god, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left...are you okay? Lance?"

He couldn't comprehend much of Keith's words as he sobbed and tugged at Keith's shirt, eyes squeezed shut as he desperately pushed his head against Keith's warmth, willing the darkness to leave him alone. Eventually, he just curled into a ball as Keith enveloped him with his body completely.

"...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left…" Keith repeated, to which Lance just shook his head with another sob.

"N-no...I should be able to...go five minutes w-without crying...I'm sorry...I'm so stupid...so pathetic...so useless…my fault...it's all my fault. I should be able to go five minutes without you but I...I can't…! I don't know what's wrong with me…!"

"Shhhh…" Keith shushed, running his hand through Lance's hair soothingly. "It's okay...it'll be okay. Nobody expects you to heal right away. It's going to take time, remember? There's nothing wrong with you. Okay?"

Lance's lips were still trembling, but he did his best to nod as Keith's sleeve gently wiped at his tears.

"I know...I know you said that but...I don't think I'll ever get better," he admitted, squeezing his eyes shut as he remembered all the dark thoughts he'd just been having. They would've come back in an instant if Keith wasn't there, cuddling him and kissing his forehead.

"It's okay...we'll get through it together. You're not alone, okay? I know you'll get better, I promise."

He could only nod again, shuffling onto Keith's lap and resting against his chest with a sigh. His heart still felt like it was bleeding from all the reopened wounds, and nightmares were the last thing he wanted right now, so he squinted his eyes open and clutched his own chest.

"...they're all coming back. All the bad things and bad thoughts, they're...I'm thinking about all of it again…"

Keith rested his chin atop Lance's head. "I'm sorry...it's going to be okay, I'll stay here with you until—"

Lance shook his head, looking up at him with round, wet eyes. "No, I...I want to talk to you about them, about my past. Until they go away...is that okay…? I...I just want it to stop...you'll stay, won't you? You won't leave me if I...if I tell you everything…?"

Keith's eyes widened, but he was quick to nod. "Of course. I won't leave you, Lance...I want to be here for you." He propped Lance up on his lap more and held him close. "Tell me whatever you want."

They held each other's gaze for a few long seconds before Lance sighed and let his memories replay in his head. It stung his heart and it weighed down every muscle in his body, but despite that, he felt safe with Keith holding him like this, and for the first time since Lotor, he wanted to spill his entire life out, until all of his memories and all of his past just left him alone.

"Okay…" He took a deep breath before letting those dark memories take life. "I'm actually the youngest of four siblings…it doesn't always feel like it, but I have two older brothers and an older sister, plus my mama and my…um..." He paused, lips pursed together. "...my family didn't have a lot of money, and there wasn't always a lot of food to go around even before I was born. Of course, things just got harder with a fourth kid. I think my siblings all blamed me for making life harder for the family...I know my dad did."

Keith immediately resumed stroking his hair at that, probably because Lance's muscles tensed with distress. He was determined to go on, though, because he wanted all the dark thoughts to just leave him alone…

"Mama put up with me, but...I don't think any of them would've cared if I just disappeared, and well...dad made his feelings clear. He hit us a lot...he hit _me_ a lot...I didn't always know why. He and ma were already having marriage problems, so maybe that's why...my siblings always blamed me for making him mad. I know I wasn't the best kid but...but it still kinda hurts…" He found himself fighting a sob. "I'm sorry, I haven't talked about this in a long time…"

"Hey, it's okay…" Keith assured, rubbing his back and pressing his cheek to his head. "It's okay…"

Lance nodded, swallowing hard to get himself back on track. "Marco, my oldest brother...he was the only one who was there for me. He made sure I had food, and he talked to me sometimes...but when I was 7, he left home for college. With one less mouth to feed, home should've gotten better, but it didn't...I don't know why I was so bad that I had to get hit, Keith...they hated me so much…if I was just going to make more problems then why did they even have me? They shouldn't have even made me!" He cried out, straying from his topic as his heart quickly spiralled into familiar despair.

"Hey...don't say that. Lance! It's okay…" Keith comforted, shaking him in his arms a bit as Lance rubbed his head against Keith's cheek.

He focused on the sound of Keith's heartbeat thumping against the side of his head, letting Keith's presence anchor him to where he was.

"I'm sorry…" He wanted to get rid of his dark thoughts, but he didn't want to get lost in them, so he figured he'd move on.

"Once I went to college, I started dorming and worked on my own to live there. I think my family just wanted me gone, which is why I got a little bit of help there...I was on my own afterwards, though. I wanted to become a marine biologist but...I don't know. Maybe it's stupid, but I remember not being able to pay for a fun trip my class was going on because I didn't have money...I think that's when I started losing interest in my classes. I know it's my fault, I shouldn't complain, but...my professors...they didn't care. No one cared. Towards the end of the year, I rarely even went to classes anymore…"

He paused to take a few deep breaths. It was hard to believe he was telling Keith all of this even though it meant Keith might hate him...Keith would see how worthless he was...but when he felt Keith holding him tighter, his heart tightened like a fist in his chest.

"...I think I started looking into _it_ out of curiosity, because I hated my classes so much...but, after my first recording, I started getting into it even more. I...I was a camboy for a few weeks." He hid his face away from Keith. "I got a lot of attention from doing it...a lot of viewers real fast. I remember it felt so good…my audience eventually coined me with the name 'Daddy's Boy'. I'm not exactly sure why. I think I might've used the term a lot…"

A part of him wanted to look up to see if Keith was looking at him in disgust, but he didn't have the courage to, so he instead lowered his head even more. He did, however, grab Keith's shirt so he could cling to him in preparation of what was next.

"One day, one of my viewers...found me. His name was Lotor. I remember how shocked I was at the time...but when he talked to me, he told me I couldn't make enough money if I was just a camboy, and that he could teach me how to use my body to make more money. That's how I found the Web of Sins.

My body was apparently perfect for dancing, so I started performing with him. He even let me stay with him! I didn't need to live in my dorm anymore, and he only ever made me feel better about my body...I...I loved him. When I told him all about my family, he didn't care about how pitiful I was...he stayed with me anyways. He said he didn't care if I was messed up beyond the capacity for others to love...because he…"

Lance didn't even realize his voice was getting shaky until he felt a sob in the back of his throat. Keith's hand was immediately caressing his face, and he just leaned into it, taken aback that Keith was still there, still holding him and gently caring for him. It made the ache in his chest a little more bearable...but reliving his past while knowing what he did now, knowing that Lotor was willing to let a gang of men have their way with him, was almost too much for him to continue. He pushed on anyways.

"I remember the first time...it was because of me. I was bad, and I wanted to finish school...I wanted to follow my dream. I asked him, because I thought if he helped me I could do it, but...we got in a fight. Lotor said I didn't need to go to school anymore, and I know I didn't, I had him, but...I was bad, and he got angry and...then...the cellar…" As soon as the word left his mouth, Lance shrunk into Keith and skipped over any thought of it.

"After that, I stayed with Lotor for nearly two years. I dropped out of school officially to focus on my life with him. I thought he loved me, but...you said people don't hurt the people they love. He hurt me a lot, Keith...but he said only he could love me, and that he would love me no matter what. And then, one day, I was at the Web, and Lotor just...he never showed up."

Lance knew it was wrong for him to feel anything towards Lotor at this point; Keith had made it very clear that Lotor had hurt him and that he shouldn't feel anything for Lotor if Lotor didn't feel anything for him...but just remembering the way Lotor had left him reopened cracks in his heart that tore him from the inside out, inciting whimpers of physical pain.

"I tried going back to our home, but there was nothing...I tried calling him, but nothing...I talked to people, but...he was gone...I waited for him...I slept outside the club, but he never came for me. I had enough work money to get an apartment of my own, but...to this day...I don't know why he decided to leave me.

I didn't know what to do without him...I...I tried calling my family, but they hated me even more when they found out I was a stripper...even my oldest brother, Marco, turned his back on me. Maybe he never actually loved me. Maybe none of them ever loved me." He rocked himself back and forth gently, cradling himself. "After all of that, I just focused on my work at the Web. People put up with me because they didn't know me, and it was only recently that I thought I could go on living without Lotor like that...especially when you showed up."

Keith was still holding him tightly, but he was dead silent. Lance didn't dare look at him, the fear of rejection breaking him apart.

"I...I thought maybe I might be allowed to live on...but then...then he came back...and I just fell into that same hole…!" He buried his face in his hands to let out a weak sob, losing his ability to speak for a good minute as he was torn apart by his own patheticness.

"...this is it." A lone tear fell from Lance's eye, slow and lifeless. "This is my web of sins. I ruined my family and I ruined myself...anyone who gets caught in this web that I've created just ruins me more and more, and I just ruin people back...I hate it…" The tears began falling faster as he dug his nails into his palm. "I hate _me_ …"

A stretch of silence crept over them that only added to Lance's tears, and even though Keith was still holding him, he could already picture himself being shoved away and abandoned…

"Hey." Keith cupped Lance's face and forced him to look up at his eyes, squinted with a gleam of unfallen tears. "...I don't know if anyone's ever told you this before, but...I'm proud of you for enduring so much."

Lance's tears fell down his chin silently as their foreheads pressed together.

"You're so, so inspirational to me...and you're so strong. I'm sorry that you had to go through that...but I want you to know that you didn't deserve any of it, and more importantly, it isn't your fault. The people in your life...they pushed you and kicked you to where you ended up. It isn't your web of sins, Lance; you didn't create it. You just got caught in it. It doesn't belong to you. You never wanted any of this…"

Every word was a punch to the heart as Lance stared into Keith's eyes, disbelief melting like snow at his warmth and sorrow. The fact that he was still here was a wonder in itself, and everything else was almost too much. Nobody had ever called him inspirational before.

"I think...life itself is sort of comparable to a web of sins, you know?" Keith continued. "Sometimes you just get caught in it, and it's weaved by outside forces. In your case, your family, and Lotor, they were the ones weaving it and manipulating you...and that's what caught you. But you can change that now, because you don't have to be caught anymore." He pulled their heads apart so he could rest his head against Lance's chest, as if bowing to him. "Because I'm here for you, I promise...and I'll keep being here for you. We can burn the web away together...until there's nothing but ashes around us. And then...you can create a new beginning."

All these words that Lance had never known he wanted to hear, never known he _needed_ to hear, were suddenly hitting him like stars falling from the sky, lighting up his darkness. He couldn't even feel the tears streaming down his face; he was completely enveloped by his own body. Every beat of his heart made his entire body pulse, every breath made his entire body rise, and his eyes seemed to forget how to blink as he stared at Keith in disbelief. Pure, relieved disbelief.

Only after they had sat in silence for a few minutes did he realize Keith was waiting, giving him a chance to respond...but he had no words. After all, how was he supposed to respond to something like that?

Luckily, Keith seemed to understand as he cupped Lance's cheek and smiled. "You're so strong...and I'm so happy you shared all of that with me. Do you remember last night, when I asked you to let me stay with you? To let me love you?"

He couldn't nod, but his face said everything as Keith planted a gentle kiss against the bridge of his nose.

"...well, falling in love with you isn't gonna be hard at all. I'm already halfway there."

Just like that, all of Lance's barriers and inhibitions and fears came crashing down all at once as he threw himself into Keith's chest like a damaged child, cries splitting the air like thunder.

The tears he spilled in Keith's arms that day were the heaviest tears he'd ever cried. He wept harder than he ever had in his entire life, because he wept _for_ his entire life. He wept for all the pain he faced as a child, all the injustice the people around him had stacked him with, but most of all, he wept for the complete absence of love in his life—the real thing. He wept, because he hadn't found love.

It had found him.

*******

Both of them lost track of time to just focus on each other, rocking back and forth together as Lance continued shifting into different comfortable positions on Keith's lap. After his break down, they'd both wordlessly agreed to sit in comfortable silence; it was something both of them could use.

Thinking back on it now, Lance couldn't help but scold himself for spilling everything about his life onto Keith...not only had it been risky, but it had probably been selfish. Obviously Keith would never accuse him of being selfish, but in reality, his dark thoughts had just been piling on top of him all at once, and he had just used Keith in the moment as a way to get it all off his chest...although, Keith had said he was happy he did that, and Lance was, too. Maybe it was best that he had told Keith everything after all…

_Strong. Inspirational. Proud_. Those words were repeating in his head like broken records. He was the last person he'd associate those words with...but that was how Keith saw him. And while he didn't agree with them, it still made his heart swell just knowing that was how Keith saw him.

He didn't deserve such empowering words...but he wanted to.

"...hey." He tugged at Keith's shirt, voice rasping at his first word in what must've been at least an hour since his super long tangent. "Can we...get something to eat?"

Keith's eyes widened in surprise for a split second, but he just nodded as he wrapped his arms around Lance and began sitting up. "Yeah! Of course. Did you want to come with me, or should I yell for Shiro to get us something?"

"I want to go," Lance assured. "I want to be strong. I want to be better...like how you see me…"

He scooted off of Keith's lap as Keith smiled after him with an approving nod. When he tried wrapping his arms beneath Lance's knees, though, he shook his head.

"No. I want...to walk."

Keith's smile spread even wider at that as he nodded and kept by Lance's side as he slowly pushed himself up. He hadn't been using his legs for over a day and had to lean against Keith every now and then as the bones cracked, but he powered through it all the way to the kitchen before plopping down in a chair with a sigh.

"...thank you," he said at last. "Thank you for everything...and for still being here for me after hearing about all that…"

They exchanged a glance as Keith started up a pot of boiling water, and once he put in a brick of ramen noodles, he crouched down in front of Lance to hold his hands.

"Of course, Lance. I told you...I'll stay by your side through anything. I...I really am so proud of you, you know?"

Lance's cheeks lit up as he peeked down at their hands before quickly getting swept up in Keith's blue-grey eyes, nodding and swooning on the inside until he was light-hearted, although that could've just been from a lack of food.

Pretty soon, the sound of water boiling brought him out of their little trance, but Keith didn't seem to notice until Lance cleared his throat and gesture towards the pot.

"Ah, shit." Keith rushed over to the pot, and Lance could only giggle as he watched him panic around the kitchen like a complete dork. Now it made sense why Shiro allegedly couldn't cook; because no one was there to teach him, not even Keith.

Luckily, the kitchen remained safe from fire for the day as Keith set their bowls of ramen on the table, sitting next to Lance for once instead of beneath him.

The broth didn't seem too fatty, and Lance knew Keith had purposefully left the ramen more bland for him. He could only repay the thoughtful gesture by lifting several strands of noodles to his lips.

By the time Shiro walked in on them, Keith had finished his bowl while Lance tentatively passed the halfway mark, constantly reminding himself that Keith didn't care and that he'd stay by his side even if Lance were to eat.

"Sorry that we don't have much else to eat around here," Shiro said, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Lance shook his head, taking the opportunity to turn away from his bowl. "No, it's okay!"

Shiro flashed him a smile before turning to Keith, the two of them exchanging a silent conversation that ended with a mutual nod.

"Lance...Keith told me about how you went to school to study to be a marine biologist, but dropped out a while back."

His eyes widened, whipping his head towards Keith, but Shiro cleared his throat to regain his attention.

"Hold on, there's an explanation. We talked it over, and we both agreed that you should get another chance, if you want...everybody deserves more than one chance. So, if you'd like, we'd be more than happy to help you enroll at Altea University. It wouldn't have to be right away, of course, but if you want to, then whenever you're ready."

Lance's eyes were widening even more, followed by the drop of his jaw as he looked back and forth between Keith and Shiro. He was almost convinced this was some sort of ploy until Keith reached for his hand; that was enough to assure him of the truth.

"...I...don't deserve this—"

"Lance." Shiro rested a hand on his shoulder, and to his surprise, he didn't pull away at the gentle squeeze. "I told you, everybody deserves more than one chance."

"He's right," Keith chimed in. "Everybody deserves a second chance... _especially_ you, Lance. We just want you to be happy."

He was certain there was no correct way to react as he looked between them repeatedly, invisible tears falling down his cheek. It almost seemed physically impossible for him to cry any more tears, but he was sure they would be streaming down his face if it was possible as his hands rose to cover his mouth. Then, he launched himself forward into Keith's arms, surprising himself at the amount of strength his legs suddenly had.

"Woah," Keith muttered, closing his hands around Lance's back as he nestled himself into his chest.

Once he had adequately hugged Keith, he pushed himself to his feet and wrapped his arms around Shiro, who hesitated to return the gesture, most likely since Lance had always been more dormant around him.

"...okay…" He swallowed hard, because even though he wasn't crying, he certainly felt like it. "Once I feel a little bit better, I want to try. I...I want to try to live out my dream again."

He beamed up at Shiro, met by the man's own smile as he patted Lance's head with a nod.

"I'm glad to hear it. Just come to me whenever you're ready, and we can make it work out."

*******

For the first time in a long time, Lance felt like the smile on his face was genuinely permanent as he and Keith stumbled back into their room after an unfinished but complete meal.

"Shiro is incredible," Lance blurted out once they were back on the bed, heart still racing. It seemed to be racing even more than it had earlier now that everything was starting to sink in more.

Keith laughed as they assumed their normal position with Lance curled up in between his legs. "Yeah...he's pretty incredible. I don't know what I'd do without him."

Lance rocked back and forth against Keith's chest, hugging his knees. "You know, sometimes I like to imagine what a father figure should be like...you know, a _real_ father. I'm not sure I really know much about it, but...Shiro is everything I wish I had." He looked up at Keith. "Is that weird?"

"No." Keith was quick to answer, still smiling as he held Lance close to his stomach with a sigh. "I totally understand. I think it's the same for me, in a way. Shiro is like a dad figure, a brother figure, and a mentor figure all in one...and don't even get me started on 'best friend'. He's everything. He's one of a kind...and I know that, if all else fails, Shiro is always there. I can always count on him, no matter what."

They smiled at each other, and Lance found his heart was strangely warm just from the two of them fawning over how incredible Shiro was.

*****~Shiro~*****

From just outside their door, Shiro leaned against the wall with his hands clutched close to his chest, eyes lowered as he blinked fast so as to avoid spilling any tears.

His chest surged with such intensity as he heard their exchange, and he could just imagine the smiles on their faces as they talked about him of all people and how he affected their lives.

In that moment, Shiro swore even more so than before that, against all odds, he would make sure these two boys ended up with their happily ever after.

*****~Lance~*****

"So what do you want to do now?" Lance was still teetering near the edge of breaking down into tears of gratitude, but he restrained himself so as not to annoy Keith while scooting and cuddling into his stomach.

"We can play video games! Or, well, laptop games, at the very least."

Lance tapped the back of his head against his chest as Keith reached for his laptop. "What type of games?"

"There's a ton!" Keith assured as he opened his screen to show Lance, kissing the top of his head. "Some of them can be suspenseful, others are cute, like you!"

A crimson blush gripped Lance's face, and he swore he began to physically release steam.

Before he even knew it, Keith had settled on a game, pointing his finger against the screen. "Does this look fun? It's a two-player dungeon clearing game full of boss fights and 100 floors; perfect for an unstoppable pair like us, right?"

Lance swallowed hard at both the cute comment and the offer. "Um, K-Keith...I don't mind watching you play, but I don't think I know how to...I don't want to hold you back."

"Come on!" Keith prompted, squeezing Lance's hands as he opened the instructions tab to run through it with him. "We'll play together; it's more fun for both of us that way, don't you think? I'll protect you, I swear it."

It seemed sort of silly for Keith to have to say things like that to him over a game on the internet, but even so, it never ceased to warm his heart, and it never ceased to put a smile on his lips as their faces pressed together. Naturally, he could only nod in hesitant agreement as Keith ran him through the instructions. Then, it was game on.

He had no idea what he was doing, but Keith carried them through the first few floors until he slowly began easing into the weird controls on the laptop. By the sixth floor, he was doing his best to put in as much work as Keith.

Every time they cleared a dungeon, Keith would turn Lance's body around, high five him with both hands, and lock their lips in a spirited bout of celebration, almost like a victory award.

Lance giggled into the kiss like a drunken idiot every time, partially because this game had him genuinely smiling and partially because he found it endearing to no end that they were celebrating over every small win in the game. Pretty soon that was all he was focusing on; no dark thoughts about Lotor so much as crossed his mind. The reward was the only thing he could zero in on, already picking up on all the different ways Keith tried to keep the celebratory kisses "passionate" as they passed dungeon after dungeon.

They eventually hit the hundredth floor, but even that couldn't conquer them as they practically rushed at each other with open mouths, fingers intertwining as the game's finale granted them the grandest celebratory kiss of all, which in turn morphed into a brief make out session. When they pulled away, their faces were mirrors of the other's smile.

"I'm so proud of us! We beat all 100 floors!" Keith declared, squeezing Lance to his chest as Lance giggled.

"I'm proud of us too. You were so cool!"

"I don't know if I'd say I was 'cool'. That final boss was crazy...it almost killed me in that last dungeon. Luckily you managed to shoot it just in time."

"I didn't know what I was doing."

"Still!" Keith insisted. "Lucky shot or not, if you'd waited a second longer I would've been a goner. I think you became a genuine sharpshooter in that game!"

Lance's face flushed red as Keith peppered his forehead with kisses.

This was it. This was the happiness Lance longed for. This was the smile he dreamed of—only this wasn't a dream. It was his reality. It was Keith.

"I'm so grateful that I met you." Their eyes met as Lance held Keith's face. "I'll never be able to express how grateful I am...to have you here with me."

Keith's hands slid over his on his face. "I'm grateful to have met you, too."

Lance sat up more at that, eyebrow raised. "What? How? All I do is hold you back. You can't go to school because you have to take care of me, and all your time is spent on me...I feel like I'm just a big piece of dead weight."

"That's not true, Lance. Well I mean, sure, I'm staying home from school, but...what I mean is, you aren't dead weight. Thanks to you, I've become better." He moved Lance's knuckles to his lips, leaving soft kisses. "I have...temper issues. I have my entire life, due to reasons in my life. Shiro helps me with them a lot, but obviously stuff like that doesn't just disappear overnight. It's always been an issue for me. But when I'm with you, I don't want to get angry at life. I just want to be happy and safe with you, I just want _you_ to be happy and safe."

Lance's mouth was slightly ajar, heart warming as Keith smiled at him.

Looking back, Lance probably could identify several moments where Keith seemed to get impatient or frustrated, but he had shrugged it off every time. Now that he knew he was part of the reason Keith was able to keep pushing forward, he couldn't help but throw himself against Keith's chest.

A part of him wondered about Keith's past, given that he said he had temper issues 'due to reasons in his life', but Lance didn't push it. This wasn't a moment to dwell on the past—all he wanted to focus on was the present.

The soaring of his heart, the smile across his face, and the warmth of Keith's arms around him...Lance didn't want to lose any of it. And even if he did, he didn't want to forget it. He wouldn't forget it. No matter what happened, even if this happiness was stripped away from him like it always was, Lance would never forget this moment, where he could just smile freely.

They rocked back and forth for a while before Keith drew attention to the darkness behind the windows.

"I guess we were playing games for a really long time."

"100 floors _is_ a lot." Lance pointed out, poking Keith's cheek. They laughed together before Keith sunk back into the bed, adjusting the pillows and blanket so they could cuddle as close and comfortably as possible.

As soon as the lights were off, Lance snuggled into Keith's chest and looked into his dusky eyes that almost blended in with the dark. "You'll be here when I wake up?"

Keith wrapped an arm around his torso. "No matter when you wake up, my face will be the first thing you see."

With that, Lance rested his head just tucked beneath Keith's chin, eyes falling shut with a smile still dancing across his face.

If he could stay like this with Keith forever, he would've.

*******

The sound of footsteps shaking the house woke Lance up the next morning, with Keith immediately wrapping his arms around him tighter as they hauled themselves up to see Shiro enter their room unannounced.

His eyes were wide and more strained than Lance had ever seen them, and his heart was already beating faster as Shiro stopped at the foot of their bed, gulping.

"What's wrong?" Keith asked.

Shiro looked in between them with a heavy sigh. "...a limo just parked outside."

And just like that, the so-called happiness that Lance had been experiencing drained from his body until he was as lifeless as a fly in a spider web. There was only one thing on his mind.

_Lotor_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How fitting is it that my first update after the hiatus brings back the most beloved character of all; Lotor! Things are sure to get shaky...

**Author's Note:**

>  **DID YOU KNOW THE WEB OF SINS ACTUALLY EXISTS???**
> 
> That's right! Click the link below to go to the web of sins! You can ask me questions regarding this fanfic or about anything in general, and I would love to interact with all of you! Furthermore, if you follow me, you'll get regular teasers for the next chapter of this fic! Be like Keith and check it out:
> 
>  
> 
> [Enter the Web](https://charlottexoyates.tumblr.com/)


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